We hope that everyone is keeping safe at home during this pandemic.

As we are unable to see patients for hygiene treatment, for now, prevention of gum disease and tooth decay is more important than ever.

Here are a few tips to keep your gums and teeth healthy whilst staying safe at home:

1. Brush your GUMS 2x daily, for 2 mins each time.
You should ensure you brush your gums last thing before bedtime, this is the most important time of the day to brush.

2. Use dental floss/tape or interdental brushes such as TePes 1x daily.
This will ensure removal of plaque in between your teeth, where your toothbrush cannot reach.

Long handled TePes are recommended for patients who may struggle to use the normal sized TEPEs- e.g. for patients with arthritis.

TePes are RE-USABLE, so after use, wash the brushes with water and re-use until the bristles become splayed and worn.

TePe interdental brushes and floss can be purchased directly from Reception after you have completed your hygiene appointment or due to the pandemic online or supermarkets.

If you notice your gums bleed when brushing or flossing, do not be alarmed. This may be a sign of gum disease, and the bleeding should reduce and stop within 7-14 days of effective daily toothbrushing and interdental cleaning.

3. Use a daily fluoride toothpaste containing high fluoride content such as Colgate or Aquafresh.

‘Spit not rinse’- ensure you do not rinse your mouth with water following tooth brushing so that the fluoride in the toothpaste can protect your teeth against tooth decay.

4. Mouthwash is NOT a recommended treatment for gum disease (except Corsodyl), so please focus your attention and energy on mechanical plaque removal with toothbrushing and floss/TePe use. Please be aware that Corsodyl mouthwash causes staining of the teeth.

To visit our Dental Hygiene page click here

To book a hygiene appointment or for more information contact Lisa Bonello, our Patient Care Co-Ordinator, by email at pc@crownwooddental.co.uk