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What causes bad breath?
The most common cause of bad breath is bad smelling gases that are by-products of bacterial activity in the mouth, or a form of gum disease.
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How can bad breath be cured?
Improving oral hygiene in the following ways can help cure bad breath. However, if it persists, a visit to the dentist may be necessary to find out the exact cause.
- Use a quality toothpaste, with fluoride – you may want to use an antibacterial toothpaste.
- Don’t forget to clean behind the back teeth.
- Bad breath can be associated with gum disease, particularly if rubbing the areas between the teeth and gums yields a foul odour.
- Try cleaning the tongue gently.
- Using a mouthwash can help, but don’t give it to small children.
- Floss or clean between your teeth.
- Chew sugar-free gum if your mouth feels dry. Chewing parsley, mint, cloves or fennel seeds may also help.
- Clean your mouth after eating or drinking.
- Avoid drinking too much coffee, as it tends to make bad breath worse.
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What is the correct way to brush teeth?
I recommend you take at least two minutes to clean teeth thoroughly in the following way:
- Use round circular movements
- Start with the lower jaw and work your way around the other teeth, including the back of the molars, then repeat for the inner area of the teeth
- Brush the biting surfaces of teeth with a straight-across movement
- Be careful not to brush too hard, as you can damage teeth enamel and cause gums to recede.
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How often should I change my toothbrush?
It is important to change your toothbrush on a regular basis – at least every three months. This is because:
- The bristle ends become worn and may cause damage to gums and teeth.
- Bacteria can build up on the brush head.
- Splayed bristles don’t clean effectively.
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Why do teeth become sensitive?
Teeth become sensitive when their nerve endings become exposed. Neither tooth enamel nor the ‘cement’ covering the root have nerve endings, but in some teeth, gum disease, excessive brushing, tooth grinding or general wear can expose nerve endings in the dentine.
This makes the tooth sensitive to touch and to hot, cold and sweet things. Toothpastes for sensitive teeth, can really help by protecting the exposed nerve endings.
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When should I start taking my baby to the dentist?
It’s never too early to take your child to the dentist – even if it’s not for an examination they will get used to the environment and appreciate that the dental surgery is not a frightening place. However, if you tend to be nervous and edgy when visiting the dentist, let someone who is more relaxed take the baby on their first visit.
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How should I choose a toothbrush?
It’s important that your toothbrush can reach all the surfaces of your teeth. So a brush with a smaller head is generally better than one with a larger head. Whether you choose a toothbrush with a straight handle or not depends on the shape of your mouth and how easily you can manipulate the brush.
It’s important to change your toothbrush regularly – at least every three months. Once the bristles become worn out of shape, they are much less efficient at plaque removal.
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