• Brush and floss your teeth. We will show you the best methods of brushing and flossing. These will remove the bacterial ‘plaque’ which forms constantly on your teeth and gums. When you eat or drink something sugary, the plaque turns the sugar into acid, which will cause tooth decay.
• Avoid snacking between meals. The frequency of acidic attacks on the teeth is more important than the sugar content of what you eat and drink. Try to limit sugary drinks and sweets to meal time.
• Avoid brushing your teeth immediately after eating. It is better to leave about 30 minutes after finishing eating, before brushing your teeth.
• Avoid rinsing after you brush. Spit out the toothpaste at the end of brushing but don’t rinse the toothpaste off the teeth.
• Avoid smoking. Tobacco contains at least 80 different cancer causing substances. It increases your risk of oral cancer.
• Avoid drinking too much alcohol. On its own or particularly in combination with smoking, drinking can cause oral cancer (and others).

If you would like help with any of these please do not hesitate to ask your dentist or hygienist.

To help you we have many dental hygiene products available to buy at the practice. If you are not sure which is best for you, please ask.