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Tips for better oral health

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

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How to Look After Your Teeth

There are lots of things you can do to maintain your dental health and achieve a fresh and attractive smile.  Here are a few top tips to get you going….

01 Brush your teeth at least twice a day.  When you brush, don’t rush.  Take enough time to do  a thorough job – two minutes is recommended.

02 Use toothpaste that contains flouride to help prevent cavities.

03 Consider using an electric or battery-operated tooth brush, especially if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush effectively.

04 Practice good technique.  Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle against your teeth and brush with short back-and-forth motions.  Remember to brush the inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth, as well as your tongue.  Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, which can irritate your gums.

05 Know when to replace your toothbrush.  Invest in a new toothbrush or a replacement head for your electric toothbrush every two to three months – or sooner if the bristles become frayed.

06 Cleaning between the teeth at least once a day is important as it removes food and plaque from between the teeth where even the best toothbrush can be ineffective.  For most people, doing this once a day is enough and the best time to do it is after your last meal of the day.  Clean between your teeth before or after brushing, but rinse your mouth afterward to wash out everything that has been dislodged.

07 Brush your tongue as well as your teeth to help eliminate mouth-borne bacteria and to keep your mouth and breath fresh.

08 A mouthwash can help with oral health.  Mouthwashes with alcohol can dry out the mouth, so try to use brands that contain no alcohol.

09 Always wait 20-30 minutes before you brush your teeth after eating or drinking acidic food or drink, such as oranges, as this can erode the enamel on your teeth.

10 Avoid eating too much sugar and drinking sugary drinks such as soda, sweetened teas, or fruit juices, particularly in between  meals.

11 Nuts, dairy foods such as cheese, and meats are all good dietry choices that can help strengthen enamel because of the calcium and vitamins they provide.

12 Chewing sugarless gum after a meal is a good way to substitute brushing inbetween meals; it can help remove food particles for between the teeth and produces saliva which counteract the bacteria.

13 Make sure you visit your dentist every six months and a hygienist visit to look after your teeth and gums.

14 If you have a toothache, it is important to seek  emergency dental care immediately as this could be a potential infection or abcess.

Top tips for people with sensitive teeth

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

We often have people come to our dental practice with sensitive teeth and so we thought we would provide some top tips for people in this situation.

Blue Court Dental Practice in Harrow’s top tips for people with sensitive teeth

01 Make sure you are cleaning your teeth properly.  A simple message but if bacteria and plaque build up on the teeth they produce acids and toxins that attack the teeth and gums.  These acids can cause decay and make the teeth uncomfortable, whilst the toxins can cause the gums to shrink away from the teeth making the situation worse.  Always remember to clean your teeth.

02 Avoid acidic food and drink.  Certain foods contain a great deal of acid, examples are many types of fruit; oranges, lemons, apples etc which contain citric acid.  Some fizzy drinks like cola and lemonade, alcoholic drinks like sparkling wines and drinks with mixers are also high in acid.  Using a straw to drink through reduces the amount of liquid that goes onto the teeth and helps sensitive teeth.

03 Avoid extremes of hot or cold.  Sensitivity of teeth is believed to be due to movement of fluids along tiny tubes on the root surface.  Extremes of hot or cold move the fluid in these tubes causing pain.  The nerve is not actually exposed, but it can feel very uncomfortable.  Luke warm drinks can usually be tolerated well.

04 Use a sensitive formula toothpaste.  There are many good toothpastes that can help reduce sensitivity.  It is often essential to use them for a few weeks to feel the effect and they work better if some of the toothpaste is rubbed into the area and left to soak in.  Some mouthwashes that contain fluoride can also be helpful.  Ask your dentist or hygienist for advice.

05 Have a dental examination.  Although sensitivity is often caused by the problems mentioned, there may be other reasons for the discomfort.  It is always worth seeking professional advice in case there is some decay, a cracked tooth or broken filling.  Your dentist will be pleased to discuss your needs and offer you tailored help and advice.

Do you brush ‘Gangnam Style’?

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit

Dr Nishan Dixit is the founder and principal dentist of Blue Court Dental. Patients enjoy his relaxed, friendly and gentle approach while experiencing his meticulous attention to detail. He has a special interest in providing smile makeovers, natural-looking white fillings and cosmetic braces, but also provides a range of treatments from preventative and general dental care to complex dental rehabilitation.
Dr Nishan Dixit

Latest posts by Dr Nishan Dixit (see all)

Could brushing your teeth to the beat of ‘Gangnam Style’ really have oral health care advantages?

We’re always on the lookout for new and inventive ways to help you keep your oral hygiene up to the high level you’d like. We’ve seen egg timers with a ‘Tooth Brush’ countdown on them and most modern electric tooth brushes also include some form of indicator as to how well/long you are brushing – but now we bring you the ‘Gangnam Style’ technique!

Reported in the Daily Mail last week is a new equation, worked out by Ivor Novello nominee Jim Williams. He indicates that songs that have eight bars of music, followed by another two sets of four bars can encourage brushing.

They must also include a double chorus and middle ‘bridging’ section, known as a double eight.

Jim Williams went on to identify a series of songs that fulfilled this criteria with PSY’s Gangnam Style coming out on top. Dental expert, Tina Tanna, who worked with Aquafresh to create the brushing technique, said: ‘Children must brush at least 35 times on each side of the mouth – using seven strokes in five areas – to ensure their teeth and gums stay healthy.’

Using a song to help keep time is a great idea we think – it helps to keep the correct pace and will encourage kids to have some fun whilst brushing helping them maintain a good health care routine.

So, tooth brushes at the ready… give it a go…

Blue Court Dental Care is a dentist in Harrow offering oral health care advice and treatments to the local people. Please do call us or pop in if you have any dental health concerns.