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After Care
How to maintain healthy teeth and gums after treatment
Postoperative instruction to patients after extraction and dental surgery
How to look after dentures once they've been fitted
How to look after crowns and bridges
Oral care for children
How can I help keep my child’s teeth cavity-free?
How important is my child’s diet?
How should I brush my child’s teeth?
When should children start brushing on their own?
What should I expect from my child’s dental visits?
How to maintain healthy teeth and gums after treatment
There are four things you can do to ensure healthy gums and teeth:
1)
Visit your dentist regularly
2)
Brush thoroughly twice daily using a fluoride toothpaste
3)
Replace your toothbrush every three months
4)
Use dental floss / tape daily to remove plaque from between the teeth
Postoperative instruction to patients after extraction and dental surgery
DO NOT BITE YOUR LIP OR CHEEK
If bleeding does occur place a wad of clean gauze or a folded clean handkerchief across the socket and bite on it for 20 minutes.
If bleeding continues after this, contact your dental surgeon for further advice and care.
If you experience severe pain after more than 24 hours, return to the dental practice, or contact your dental surgeon on the above telephone number.
Do not rinse your mouth for the remainder of the day; if you do rinse, the clot of blood may be washed away and bleeding may start again.
Do not take vigorous exercise or excessive amounts of alcohol for the remainder of the day - if you do the bleeding may start again.
Pain relief
Take the first dose of painkiller of your choice (either paracetamol or Ibuprofen, but not aspirin, is usually sufficient) before the local anaesthetic wears off, usually within one hour after the procedure. N.B. check with your dental surgeon before taking the painkillers that they are suitable for you.
If you do not obtain satisfactory relief of your pain, contact your dental surgeon
Mouth baths
Hot salt water mouth baths should be started 24hrs after the extractions, but not before.
Fill a tumbler with water, which should be as hot as you can hold in your mouth.
Put one flat teaspoonful of salt into the water, and stir well.
Take a mouthful of this solution, and hold it over the sore part. Keep it there for half a minute. DO NOT SWALLOW.
After half a minute empty the mouth and repeat until the glass is empty. Do this AFTER EVERY MEAL for two to three days. Make sure the water is hot, but be careful not to burn yourself. If the mouth-rinse stings, you should use less salt.
Your diet during the immediate postoperative phase
Eat soft foods, such as rice, well cooked vegetables and meat, remove the crusts from bread if desired, or try a purée of your normal diet. Progress to firmer foods once the discomfort wears off. Avoid smoking for 48 hours.
How to look after dentures once they've been fitted
Straight after having your new dentures fitted success on wearing them very much depends on your tolerance and skill in learning to wear them. So remember it will take some weeks before you get used to your new dentures, and be able to wear them with complete confidence. During this adaptation period a softer diet is advisable. In general you should not wear dentures at night, but with new dentures adaptation may be speeded up if they are worn full-time for the first 1 - 2 weeks.
Your dentures should be cleaned daily with soap, water and a brush, over a basin filled with water.
If you experience some soreness or pain try to continue wearing your dentures, and return for adjustment as soon as possible so that the affected areas can easily be seen.
When the dentures are not being worn store them in water to prevent them drying out and warping.
Taking care of crowns and bridges
To prevent damaging crowns, avoid chewing hard foods and objects. Besides visiting your dentist and brushing twice a day, cleaning between your teeth is vital with crowns. Floss or interdental cleaners (specially shaped brushes and sticks) are important to remove plaque from the crown area where the gum meets the tooth. Plaque in that area can cause tooth decay and gum disease.
With a bridge, it is more important to brush and floss as well as see your dentist regularly. If you do not control the buildup of food debris and plaque - the sticky film of bacteria formed from food acids - your teeth and gums can become infected, requiring further treatment and risking possible loss of the bridge. If you maintain good cleanliness around the fixed bridge, you can expect it to last at least 5-10years, or even longer.
How can I help keep my child’s teeth cavity-free?
Children are at a greater risk for cavities than adults. They tend to eat more frequently and have not yet become experts at brushing their teeth. It is vital that their teeth are brushed properly with a fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day. Areas they have missed on their own should be brushed for them. Healthy snacks, like bread and fruit, will help keep their teeth cavity-free.
How important is my child’s diet?
Your child’s diet is very important in keeping their teeth decay-free. Try and guide them away from sugary foods and drinks and reduce the number of times they have them during the day (for example by just serving them at mealtimes). If possible, always have your child brush after eating.
How should I brush my child’s teeth?
Follow the same approach that you would take when brushing your own teeth. It sometimes helps to stand behind your child and tilt his or her head back.
- Start by cleaning the chewing surfaces with a soft-bristled children’s toothbrush, using short back-and-forth strokes.
- For the outer tooth surfaces, place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle toward the gumline.
- Move the brush back and forth in short, gentle strokes.
- To clean the inner front tooth surfaces, hold the brush vertically and use gentle up-and-down strokes with the tip of the brush.
- Make sure the gumline and back teeth are cleaned thoroughly.
Replace your child’s toothbrush when it begins to show wear, or every three months, whichever comes first. By age three or four, your child should be able to brush his or her own teeth - with your help, of course. Start your child off with a simple brushing technique, for example, a small, circular brushing motion.
When should children start brushing on their own?
It varies from child to child, but generally children under age eight need help brushing their teeth. Whether you are still brushing your child’s teeth or just supervising, you should follow these simple guidelines:
- Brush at least twice a day—in the morning and just before bed.
- Spend two minutes brushing—concentrating on the chewing surfaces and back teeth, where cavities often first develop.
- Use a pea-sized amount of children’s fluoride toothpaste.
- Teach your child to spit out any toothpaste left after brushing.
- Look for a brush that is suitable for your child’s age and dexterity.
- Don’t share brushes between children.
- Brushing your teeth together sets a good example and helps your child to learn, by watching and imitating you!
As early as you can, start cleaning in between your child’s teeth. Ask your dentist for advice on when this should begin, and how to do it.
What should I expect from my child’s dental visits?
The dentist will examine your child’s teeth, gums, and jaw; check for any early signs of problems; and show you the right way to clean and care for your child’s teeth. This is also a time to ask how your child’s teeth are developing.
Remember, good oral care begins with you!
Keep them motivated by setting a good example yourself and create a consistent and fun environment for tooth brushing. Soon, they’ll take it on as part of their daily routine, just like eating breakfast or reading a bedtime story.
So, remember, starting early will ensure that your child’s smile stays healthy and bright!
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