Good Teeth

The other day I met a friend who had just had a dental check up.  “I wish I’d bought an electric tooth brush years ago!”  I thought my friend meant that they were now facing several sessions of dental treatment and a large bill, but in fact the dentist had said the next check up could be in a year’s time.

When electric tooth brushes first came on the market many people (including me) dismissed them as a gimmick.  I’ve had one for many years now and tend to take it for granted.   It is only when I go on holiday and use a manual tooth brush that I realise that it is much harder to really get the teeth clean.  Here’s a link to the recommended technique for cleaning your teeth: How to Brush.

The current trend is to think of white teeth as good teeth.  Last summer when Tricia and I went to the Clothes Show in London we were surprised to find a number of companies promoting teeth-whitening products.  While I agree that white teeth are pretty, I would look into the long-term implications carefully before embarking on treatment.

The traditional view of good teeth is more on the line of healthy teeth and gums.  The best way to keep them that way is regular brushing, and that includes cleaning the spaces between your teeth.

Why clean between your teeth?

We all know that it is important to brush teeth twice a day.  Dental health experts say that it is just as important to clean the spaces between your teeth and at the same time the sides of your teeth.

When you brush your teeth properly you are removing plaque from the surface of each tooth.  Plaque is that slightly sticky stuff that you can sometimes feel when you run your tongue along your teeth.  Plaque is bad for your teeth because sugary substances feed on it, producing acids that damage the teeth.

Cleaning between your teeth removed the plaque on the sides of your teeth as well as removing any bits of food that have lodged in the little spaces between your teeth. 

You can clean between your teeth with dental floss, or with interdens brushes.  It takes an extra minute or two every day, but it may have the effect of reducing your dental bills.  It could also reduce the risk of bad breath.

If you feel you only have time for this once a day, do it in the evening to maximise the benefit.

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