With the Easter bunny to deliver sweet treats and chocolates for one last day 6 April it may be a good time to ‘brush up’ your child’s oral care routine, to avoid tooth decay.
Dirna Grobbelaar, IVOhealth’s oral hygiene expert and mother of twins, shares the following tips to keep your family smiling healthily.
Grobbelaar says the most important thing is to brush correctly twice a day, for a full two minutes each time. Either use a brush with a built-in timer, like the Philips Sonicare For Kids powerbrush, a kitchen timer or even an app on your phone like Brush Busters.
Daily cleaning in-between the teeth should start as soon as the teeth start to touch one another, usually from around age two. Floss is not the only option, look for an interdental tool that suits, like interdental brushes, a floss handle, oral irrigator or the Philips Sonicare AirFloss (which jets a microburst of air and water between the teeth at 72 km/h).
Like the teeth and gums, the tongue also becomes coated with plaque and food debris. Gently clean the tongue every day, ideally using a specially designed tongue scraper. For extra fresh breath confidence, older children and adults can swish with an alcohol-free mouthwash like Dentyl Active.
Eat a healthy, balanced diet, avoiding sugary foods and drinks. If the family does indulge, don’t brush immediately, rather rinse with water, then wait an hour or so before brushing.
Finally ideally go for a professional clean by an oral hygienist every six months and see the dentist each year for a thorough check-up. When it comes to oral care prevention is always better than cure.
For more oral care tips visit www.facebook.com/ivohealth or chat to your dentist or oral hygienist.
