Back to school

But it’s not only children who must learn why dental hygiene is important for everyone

Yes it’s coming to that time of the year again when term time is about to begin and children once again return to their classes at the beginning of a new educational year. But we were thinking at Carisbrook recently that it isn’t only children who need to learn lessons. We’ve seen that many adults too are still not fully aware of why dental hygiene is so vital. Not just for the good of their teeth, but for their general health and well-being.So here is the Carisbrook ‘back-to-school’ guide to why dental hygiene is vital for everyone!CleaningGood dental hygiene begins with a sensible cleaning routine. We recommend that you brush regularly – as soon as you get up in a morning and again last thing at night before you go to bed. Make sure you choose a good, medium brush and always use fluoride toothpaste. You should always brush for at least two minutes, that is thirty seconds for each quarter of the mouth and when you have finished do not rinse your mouth because this will only remove the fluoride.Other cleaning advice is that you should regularly floss or use an interdental brush to clean between your teeth because ordinary brushing cannot reach these parts. Use an up-and-down movement not a sawing motion as this can damage gums. Keeping your teeth clean is the first step to preventing tooth decay but it is also why dental hygiene is vital to help prevent gum disease.It is equally important for parents to teach their children these basic rules and explain why dental hygiene is so important.Regular check-upsThe other piece of advice we would give you is that everyone – young and old – should see their dentist regularly. Children are never too young to start visiting their dentist; in fact, we recommend that parents should arrange a child’s first appointment as soon as baby teeth begin to show. These early visits help to develop a child’s confidence and trust and help to prevent them becoming nervous patients or suffer from dental phobia in later years.Whatever age you are though regular dental check-ups are vital. Your dentist will examine your teeth and your mouth to ensure that there are no potential problems such as tooth decay or gum disease. Your dentist should also undertake a simple mouth cancer screening to check for any early signs of the disease.We always say ‘prevention is better than cure’ and that is why dental hygiene is so important for everyone in the family.And as a bonus for mum …Back-to-school could mean that after six weeks or so having to care for and entertain your children you at last have the opportunity to enjoy a little ‘me time’. So why not indulge yourself and book a course of teeth whitening treatment? At Carisbrook we can offer a number of different in-clinic and at-home treatments … and right now we have a special Summer Whitening Offer that can save you £100 on Home Teeth WhiteningTo book an appointment for a routine check-up for yourself or your family, or to discuss our Special Teeth Whitening Offer please do not hesitate to contact us. You can call us on 0161 951 7295 or alternatively you can contact us by using the online form on our Appointments page.