Six Dental Hygiene Habits
The best way to prevent long-term dental issues is a thorough cleaning regime, coupled with regular dental visits.
If your oral health has taken a back seat during the pandemic, it may be time to spring clean your dental hygiene routine.
Kathy Delaney, dental hygienist at our Cabinteely practice in Dublin, shares her top six dental hygiene tips for a healthy mouth and gums.
#1 Regular brushing
It is recommended to brush twice per day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, using a medium textured toothbrush with a small head, especially last thing at night. Remember to include your tongue, as it can also harbour bacteria, leading to bad breath.
#2 Replace your toothbrush
It is important to replace your toothbrush at least every 2-3 months, after an illness, or when the bristles start to splay. Similarly, an electric toothbrush head should be replaced approximately every 12 weeks or according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
If you are using an electric toothbrush, do not apply too much pressure. Allow the brush to do the work for you, and watch the sensor guide on the model.
#3 Floss daily
To help remove food and plaque trapped between your teeth and gums, floss daily or use an interdental brush. Ideally, floss before brushing so that any released particles can be removed from the mouth. If plaque is allowed to build up, it can lead to cavities and gum disease.
#4 Rinse with care
Using a fluoride toothpaste helps keep teeth strong and prevent dental decay. Be sure to spit out excess toothpaste after brushing but avoid rinsing, so that fluoride remains on your teeth for as long as possible.
#5 Drink water
Drink plenty of water to help minimise acid attacks on your teeth, particularly after a meal. Drinking water promotes healthy saliva production, which washes away leftover food particles and helps deter the growth of smelly oral bacteria.
#6 Schedule a check-up
Regular check-ups allow your dentist or dental hygienist to detect conditions such as tooth decay or gum disease early. In addition to a good dental hygiene routine at home, professional cleaning helps to prevent a build-up of plaque bacteria which can cause gum disease.
To book a dental hygiene appointment at your nearest Dental Care Ireland practice, contact us here
Bad breath: how to prevent it
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, Dr Paul O’Dwyer, group clinical advisor at Dental Care Ireland, answers some common questions on how to keep bad breath at bay
Q: What is the most common cause of bad breath?
A: Bad breath (halitosis) can often originate in the gums and tongue. It is typically caused by the bacteria in our mouths as they work to naturally break down food. Smoking is also a common cause. In some cases, persistent bad breath can also be a sign of underlying issues such as tooth decay or gum disease.
Q: Is stress a contributing factor?
A: Stress, dieting, age, hormonal changes, and dry mouth can all exacerbate the symptoms.
Q: How can I help prevent bad breath?
A: It is important to maintain a consistent oral health routine at home. Ideally, brush twice per day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste. Remember to include your tongue, as it can also harbour bacteria. Floss teeth at least once a day, to help clean areas that your toothbrush cannot reach. It is best to replace your toothbrush at least every three months, or after an illness.
Q: How can I avoid it after eating my favourite foods?
A: Strong-smelling foods and drinks, such as onions, garlic or coffee, can be detected on a person’s breath for up to 72 hours after digestion. The effect on your breath is usually only temporary. Drinking plenty of water and chewing sugar-free gum after a meal, will increase saliva flow, which helps eliminate the odour-causing bacteria.
Q: How can I manage bad breath from smoking?
A: Mouthwashes and smokers’ toothpastes may be effective in removing stains and freshening up the mouth. While they can mask the symptoms/signs of halitosis, however, they cannot treat any underlying damage caused by smoking. Smoking also irritates the gums and often contributes to your chances of tooth decay and gum disease.
Q: What should I do if my bad breath persists?
A: If your bad breath persists, it could be a sign of underlying issues including tooth decay or gum disease. Schedule a regular check-up with your dentist or dental hygienist to help maintain your oral health and prevent the occurrence of bad breath.
For more tips and advice on looking after your family’s oral health, visit dentalcareireland.ie
Staff profile: Anne Francis is a hygienist in our dentist practice in Carlow
We sat down and talked to Anne about her passion for her work, the importance of good oral hygiene and why she loves working in our dentist practice in Carlow.
What does your role entail?
I am a Dental Hygienist. This means I will clean all the deposits and stains from patients’ teeth, scale away tartar build-up and then polish the teeth.
What do you most love about your job?
I love restoring the oral health of all my patients, both young and old.
Why did you choose to become a Dental Hygienist?
I wanted to be a Dental Hygienist because I want to help people look after their mouths.
Where did you study?
I studied in the Dublin Dental Hospital.
What advice would you give young people about entering dentistry as a career?
The advice I would give to young people entering dentistry as a career would be to expect that the job can be stressful at times, but it is very rewarding.
What piece of advice do you tend to give to all your patients?
The advice I would give to my patients is to attend the dentist regularly, that is very important.
What’s the best way to encourage children to keep their teeth strong and healthy?
A happy, healthy smile is better than a bad one is the advice I would give to encourage kids to keep their teeth healthy.
What should older patients do to look after their teeth?
Older people should ensure they attend the dentist regularly and get their teeth cleaned in order to keep their teeth healthy.
What are the most common problems you see?
The most common problems we see in the dentist practice in Carlow would be gum disease, tooth decay or poor diets.
And how do you advise patients to deal with them?
We stress the importance of a good diet and good dental hygiene.
What do you most like about working in Dental Care Ireland?
I love working in Dental Care Ireland as I love helping the patients. And the team here is great too!
How do you relax after work and on the weekends?
I relax after work and on the weekends by spending time with my family, reading and doing yoga.
If you hadn’t entered dentistry, what would your dream job have been?
If I hadn’t entered dentistry, my dream job would be a travel consultant.
Find out more about Dental Care Ireland in Carlow. To find the Dental Care Ireland practice nearest you, go here: https://www.dentalcareireland.ie/practices/
Are you looking for a dental hygienist in Dublin?
Dental Care Ireland is committed to providing a reliable, community dental experience. If you are interested in seeing a dental hygienist in Dublin, get in touch with us
We all know that prevention is better than cure, and never has that adage been more true than in the dentist’s surgery. Regular visits to your dentist are essential in order to identify potential problems before they start to cause you pain or discomfort, and your dental hygienist plays a key role in preventing these nasty issues arising.
A dental hygienist’s role is to prevent all types of dental diseases progressing. There are a number of ways in which this can be done, including scaling and polishing to stop swollen gums (gingivitis) from appearing or to treat the first sign of them, deep cleaning to aid in the treatment of periodontal disease, and tooth stain removal.
Your dental hygienist in Dublin or elsewhere around the country can also give you excellent dietary and dental hygiene advice so you can help prevent the issues yourself, through the right type of brushing and flossing.
If you’re looking for a dental hygienist in Dublin or indeed around the country, we have plenty of options from which to choose. Lyndsey Neill operates out of our practice in Swords in north Dublin, while Sharon McGovern is our dental hygienist in Cabinteely, south Dublin.
Meanwhile, the President of the Irish Dental Hygienists’ Association, Donna Paton, operates in our Tullamore, Co Offaly practice.
Dental hygiene is a key part of your overall dental health – to ensure that you are getting the care that you need, seeing a dental hygienist regularly and following their advice on diet, brushing and flossing are essential.
Also, bear in mind that due to recent PRSI changes, PRSI payors are now entitled to an annual check up, scale and polish for only €15 – please contact your local DCI practice to check eligibility.
If you’re looking to book an appointment with a dental hygienist in Dublin, one of our practices can offer you the help and care that you need. Dental Care Ireland practices around the country open late, on weekends and during lunchtime, so make sure you consult our opening hours for more information
