Whole Mouth Care In Ipswich

27 / 02 / 2018

Whole Mouth Care In Ipswich

Looking After Teeth, Gums And Soft Tissue.

Whilst most patients of the Lighthouse Dental Practice visit us so we can help them maintain healthy teeth and gums, it is also important to acknowledge that we need to take good personal care of the whole of our mouth too.

It is an important tool for communication and eating and a positive smile has been shown to be beneficial in relationships, whether work or socially.

Given the mouth’s key role in all of the above, doesn’t it make sense to do our best to keep it in good health? In today’s blog, we take a look at why our Ipswich patients should focus not only on the teeth and gums, but the soft tissues too.

Tooth care

We have discussed this before, and will again. For the purposes of this post though, let us just say that regular home care, a sensible diet and regular monitoring by the dentist and hygienist at our Ipswich practice, is a good start to making sure that your teeth remain healthy.

Gum disease

Gum disease is sometimes underestimated by patients. As dentists though, we have seen the destruction that it can cause. Not only are sore and bleeding gums a distinct possibility, but tooth loss can occur if the disease is not treated as soon as possible. For those that currently don’t, we strongly recommend that patients see the dental hygienist regularly to have a gum health check.

Protection

However well we look after our teeth; if we take part in contact sports, there is a real and immediate risk to our teeth. Broken and knocked out teeth are a real possibility and we would urge anyone taking part in sports or activities where damage is likely, to wear a protective mouthguard.

Clean tongue?

Patients sometimes ask us if they should brush their tongues. It is true that the tongue can harbour bacteria, although this is true of our mouth in general, not all of it is harmful it should be said. Our opinion is that whilst it is not as essential as cleaning your gums, giving your tongue a daily clean is not a bad idea. You can do this using your toothbrush to gently scrape the surface, or purchase a tongue scraper. There is no need to use force as this could cause the tongue to become sore. A light ‘scraping’ is all that is necessary.

Oral piercings

Younger patients of the Lighthouse Dental Practice may opt to have a variety of piercings as a lifestyle choice. You may wish to consider the risks of oral piercings before having your lips or tongue pierced. Not only can piercings become infected, but minor chips of the teeth are very likely when the metal comes into contact with the enamel on your teeth.

For whole mouth care and to help ensure that you have healthy and great looking teeth, why not arrange an appointment at our Ipswich dental practice by calling us on 01472 257 379.

We are here to help you.
If you would like to speak to a member of our friendly team about any of the issues in this article please visit our contact page or call us on 01473 257379.