Good oral hygiene is the foundation of all Oral Health and the pillar for any successful dental treatment. Daily oral hygiene practices include brushing and flossing and even though this forms a crucial part of dental health, annual check-ups and professional cleanings are necessary to ensure a healthy oral environment. Melrose Dental Studio is quickly accessible from Johannesburg, Melrose, Rosebank, Bryanston, Illovo, Sandhurst, Parkmore, Greenside, Morningside or Parktown.
Oral Hygiene shortfalls may cause one of the following:
- Painful, swollen or bleeding gums;
- Pain and bleeding that occurs during brushing and flossing;
- Bad breath;
- Dry mouth;
- Dental cavities;
- Generalised or localised sensitivity;
- Receding gum line and
- Food traps necessitating the use of tooth picks and many more.
All of the above means that either your oral hygiene practices needs some tweaking or professional attention is required to improve your oral and dental health.
If these conditions are ignored they may develop into more serious conditions, necessitating extensive and usually more expensive dental treatment.
We recommend doing the following:
- Brushing thoroughly twice a day and flossing daily.
- Eating a balanced diet and limiting snacks between meals.
- Using dental products that contain fluoride, including toothpaste
- Attending 6-monthly check-up visits at Melrose Dental Studio coupled with a professional cleaning by our Oral Hygienists
Oral Hygiene in Children and Infants:
Due to the developmental process, infants and children need to be guided from a young age when it comes to oral health care. In doing so, one establishes certain habits that will contribute to not only their oral and dental health, but also towards their overall health and well-being. Parents need to be well educated to ensure the basic oral health care principles are correctly carried over to their children. Since dental cavities are the most common childhood illness, care needs to be taken from a young age to prevent any illnesses and childhood ailments.
Kids should therefore not be free to eat whatever they please as they tend to be attracted to sweet and sugary foods that can cause tooth decay. These substances are more difficult to clean off of children's teeth and can result in the accumulation of plaque and cavities. Even though children's teeth eventually fall out and are replaced with permanent teeth they are important part in a child's overall oral health and development.
Oral Hygiene Guidelines for Children and Babies:
- Routine dental visits as soon as the first tooth has erupted in the mouth;
- Supervision of what children and infants eat, as they tend to be attracted to sweet and sugar-containing foods;
- Aiding them while they brush their teeth;
- Baby Teeth - An infant's teeth should be cleaned as soon as they erupt, typically within the first six months of age. Although you should consult with your dentist regarding how to clean their teeth, you can use a small washcloth or gauze after every feeding. When multiple teeth erupt, you can soak a child appropriate toothbrush in warm water and use it on your baby's teeth.
- Children's Teeth - Your child's teeth should be cleaned by the parent or provider until the child is coordinated enough to do it themselves. It is important that your child sees a dentist by age one to establish a dental plan and to get professional and periodic cleanings.
- Flossing - Flossing can begin when two teeth have erupted next to each other. Children should start to floss by themselves on a daily basis when they are coordinated enough to do so. This is usually around the age of six.
- Mouth Rinse - Children can use a mouth rinse when they are ready to take on the responsibility, although this is recommended by age seven and supervision is necessary to ensure that the mouthwash is expelled and not swallowed.