Toothache

Toothaches are caused by either cavities (holes in the teeth caused by dental caries bacteria) or by infection of the gums around the teeth.

What helps?  There is little you can do about a toothache except take some painkillers and see your dentist.  Regular brushing and flossing prevents tooth decay.

                                        

Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers are small breaks in the skin inside your mouth.  They can be very painful because food and saliva irritate them when you eat.  They happen to everyone from time to time but we don’t really know what causes them.

What helps?  Mouth ulcers happen more when you are ill or stressed, so keeping healthy helps keep mouth ulcers away.  You can also buy gels or ointments from the chemist to put on them to kill the pain.

Dental Cavities & Caries

Holes in the teeth, called cavities or tooth decay, are caused by bacteria.  You can fill in the holes with fillings, but it’s much better to prevent tooth decay by brushing your teeth regularly with a fluoridetoothpaste and flossing your teeth every day.

Tips On Brushing

-Brush for about 3 minutes, twice a day.

-Move brush back and forth gently in short (tooth wide) strokes.

-Brush outside, inside and top of your teeth.

-Clean the inside of your teeth with a gentle up and down stroke.

Tips On Flossing

–         Floss like in this picture.  Use about 18 inches of floss and wind most of it around your middle fingers.

–         Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.  Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion.

–         Hold the floss tightly against the tooth.  Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions.