Prevention

Prevention

The ABC of dental care

Wait for at least 30 minutes after eating a meal before you brush your teeth

After each meal, the tooth enamel is soft for 30 minutes due to acids. Therefore, regularly brushing your teeth after a meal can damage the enamel or cause receding gums, enamel wear, caries and other dental diseases.

Brush your teeth before, not after breakfast

Since you might be in a hurry to get to work or school in the mornings, always brush your teeth before breakfast. Brushing immediately after eating is harmful for teeth enamel.

Brush your teeth in the morning and before bed

Brushing your teeth twice a day is enough. Use dental floss to remove food that is stuck between your teeth.

Use dental floss and an interdental brush every night

Slide floss between the teeth and under the gums to remove any bacteria stuck there.

One brushing session should last at least 2 minutes

Brushing less is not enough to scrub off dental plaque entirely.

Hold the brush between your fingers like a pen

This position is more flexible and will prevent pressing the brush down too hard. Brushing too hard can cause receding gums and makes the neck of the tooth sensitive.

Brush using the correct technique

Use short back-and-forth movements by brushing two or three teeth at once, turning the bristles at a slight angle against the edges of the gums. Do not forget to clean the back of your foreteeth. When the teeth feel smooth after touching them with your tongue, the plaque has been successfully removed.

Use a soft toothbrush

Hard toothbrushes can harm the gums and enamel.

Change your toothbrush every 2–3 months

Over time, a toothbrush loses its elasticity, bristles deform with use and will not clean as efficiently.

Clean your tongue

The most efficient way to clean your tongue is to use a special tongue scraper. The tongue scraper must be gently placed as far back against the tongue as you can and pulled from the back to the front. Try to avoid excessive irritation to the tongue.

Dental trauma

 Why should you try to save a tooth?

Dental trauma happens most frequently to children and preteens. An accident can often occur during leisure activities, for instance, in water parks, jumping on trampolines or doing tricks at skate parks. Sometimes a child can also simply trip and fall badly.

Many parents, children, coaches and teachers are not aware that you can still save a tooth that has come off. If you act quickly and preserve the tooth correctly, the dentist can put it back in your mouth.

Since dental implants cannot be put in before a child reaches adulthood, it is especially important to put the tooth back if possible when the person is young.

How to save a tooth?

If the tooth has come off, it should be put back in its socket right away to avoid destroying the tiny ties between the tooth and bone. If you are panicking and are unable to do so, the tooth can also be stored in the mouth or in a cup in spit. Alternatively, the tooth can also be transported in milk but not in regular water.

The tooth can only be held from its upper part (crown). You must not touch the root.

Act quickly. The critical time limit is an hour but the sooner you can get to the dentist, the better—the prognosis gets worse every minute.

Call your dentist immediately and tell what has happened. If your own dentist is unable to see you, go to the nearest dental polyclinic with an emergency unit.

Seek emergency medical treatment if the person with the trauma has nausea, dizziness, feels confused or otherwise ill.

Who can help you save a tooth?

In case of dental trauma, quickly contact your dentist. If he or she is unable to see you within an hour, go to the nearest dentist on duty.