Just brushing your teeth is not enough!

The majority of people these days seem to have got the message that brushing their teeth is vital for their health. Even so, there are still too many people who think that brushing their teeth is all that is required for good oral hygiene.If brushing your teeth is all that you do, then you’re missing out and worse still you could be putting your health at risk.You should be thinking BFT!BFT stands for Brushing, Flossing, Tongue and all three are crucial to good oral hygiene practice and your all-round health.To find out more you can speak to any dentist in Manchester, but at Carisbrook Dental we always advise our patients on these four key cleaning tips.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day.

Use a good quality, medium bristle brush and brush thoroughly using small circular movements spending about 30-seconds on each quarter of the mouth. If you look at our Hygiene page you can watch a short demonstration video. Incidentally it is recommended that you change your brush every three months.

Use a good fluoride toothpaste.

Fluoride really does help to protect your teeth and can help prevent cavities and tooth decay.

Don’t forget to floss.

Brushing your teeth cleans approximately 60% of the surface area. That means there is 40% that brushing alone does not reach. Go to Preventative Dentistry and follow the link to Learn more about Hygiene and watch the video showing the best way to clean between your teeth. There is a specific technique to flossing and if you wish then our hygienists at Carisbrook Dental will be happy to show you.An alternative to flossing is to use a special interdental brush, which gets between the teeth.

Cleaning your tongue is just as vital.

Not too many people clean their tongue but it really is a vital step towards total oral hygiene because everyone’s tongue harbours a surprising amount of bacteria. Cleaning your tongue removes most of this along with bits of decaying food and fungi. This in turn helps prevent gum disease.If you have never cleaned your tongue we recommend that you purchase a cheap tongue scraper from your local pharmacist or get one from us at Carisbrook Dental. Then scrape your tongue and smell the residue that comes off. You’ll be amazed … and shocked.The bacteria and debris lodged on your tongue can be the cause of bad breath, discolouration of the tongue and can also lead to gum disease … and worse. If you’re a smoker then it can produce what can only be described as foul odours.If you suffer from bad breath or experience gum disease and if you live in Manchester then you should book an appointment to speak to one of our dentists or hygienists who will be very happy to advise you on these and on other dental solutions, including: