Pucker Up for the Party Season
Now that December is upon us many of us turn our thoughts to Christmas parties and mistletoe as well as that all important kiss at the stroke of midnight as 2016 begins.
How kissable is your mouth?
Here are a few tips to help you get those teeth and gums healthy and looking great in order to be irresistible when the mistletoe comes out.
Healthy Gums
Make sure your gums are healthy – they are just as important as our teeth as they hold teeth in!
Healthy gums look, feel and smell better than unhealthy gums. Healthy gums are pale in colour, they fit tightly around the teeth and don’t bleed when they are brushed.
Everybody has plaque growing on their teeth and gums all the time (yuk!) Plaque is an almost invisible film of germs. If plaque is left around our gums the germs irritate the gums making them unhealthy and causing gum disease. The first stage of gum disease is called gingivitis. This does not spread from person to person and can be reversed to make the gums healthy again.
Gums with early gum disease (gingivitis) are darker in colour and puffy and swollen. They bleed easily (especially when brushed) and can cause bad breath. If early gum disease is left it can progress in time to a more advanced condition called periodontitis. If this is not treated it can lead to tooth loss.
Brushing
To avoid gum disease, brush your teeth and gums thoroughly morning and night. Use a brush with a small head in order to comfortably reach all surfaces of the teeth. Angle the bristles towards the gum so they tuck just under the gum line (where the teeth and gums meet) and clean just 1 or 2 teeth at a time. If you have early gum disease your gums will bleed when you do this but after a few weeks this should have reduced or even stopped. Clean teeth look and feel great!
Flossing
Your toothbrush can’t reach the gums between the teeth but the plaque germs can. Other tools should be used to clean between the teeth. Examples include dental floss, interdental brushes and floss picks. At the Dental Studio we can show you how to use these effectively and advise what we think is best for you and your mouth.
Ideally we should clean between our teeth everyday but this does not have to be at the same time as brushing teeth.
Check Up on your Technique
A good way to check how well you’re cleaning is to use disclosing tablets. These are food dye tablets which are chewed and rinsed around the mouth to reveal any plaque left on the teeth and gums by staining it. Some can tell the difference between new and old plaque too. The plaque is then easy to see so you know when all areas are clean.
Mouthwashes
A mouthwash is not a substitute for good brushing and flossing but many of us like to use them as well as doing this. To get the best out of a mouthwash use it at a different time from when you brush your teeth. A fluoride mouthwash will help to strengthen the teeth against all the Christmas sweet treats and drinks.
Dental Check-Up
Whilst preparing for the busy festive season make sure you don’t miss your check-up with the dentist if it’s due at this time.
A White Christmas?
Would like your teeth to be whiter? If so, there is still time to make this happen before Christmas. Having whiter teeth is a great way to boost your confidence and make you look and feel fantastic!
You would first need the dentist to check that your teeth are suitable for whitening and it is worth knowing that in December the Dental Studio are offering whitening for just £100 – cheaper than a tux or party dress!
Get Ready for those Christmas Kisses!
