Patient Resources and FAQs
Oral hygiene instructions, aftercare, and the questions the front desk is asked most often. Written down so you can read them at home rather than remember them in a chair.
Home care is most of the result
Two hygiene visits a year add up to about ninety minutes. You have the other eight thousand hours. That is not a guilt trip, it is arithmetic, and it is why the part of the appointment where somebody shows you something in the mirror is worth more than the polish.
The practice’s own introduction puts it this way: poor dental hygiene can cost you in the long run. Tooth decay, discolouration and gum recession are among the issues that require costly procedures, and in most cases they are preventable.
- Floss first, then brush
- Two minutes, twice a day
- Small circles at the gum line, not scrubbing
- A soft brush, not a hard one
- Replace the brush every three months
- Children need help until about seven
The three things people get wrong
Thirty one years of watching people brush, in Carrie Woolridge’s case, and the same three habits come up again and again.
Flossing after brushing
Floss first. It loosens what is between the teeth so the fluoride in the toothpaste can actually reach those surfaces afterwards.
Pressing far too hard
A toothbrush is not a scrubbing brush. Hard pressure wears enamel at the gum line and pushes the gum back, and neither of those grows again.
Nothing like two minutes
Most people brush for about forty five seconds and are certain it was longer. Time it once, properly, and you will see.
Aftercare, by treatment
General guidance. Your own instructions from the appointment always win.
After an extraction
Bite gently on the gauze, avoid rinsing hard for the first day, no smoking, no straws, and keep to soft food. Ring the practice if bleeding does not settle.
With a temporary crown
Treat it gently, avoid anything sticky on that side, and floss out sideways rather than lifting up. If it comes off, keep it and ring us.
After a filling
You can eat as soon as any numbness has worn off. Tell us if the bite feels high after a day or two; it is a two-minute adjustment.
With Invisalign trays
Twenty to twenty two hours a day, out only to eat, drink anything but water, and clean your teeth. Rinse the trays in cold water, never hot.
With a night guard
Rinse and brush it in the morning, store it dry in its case, and keep it away from hot water and from dogs.
After whitening
Sensitivity is common and varies between people. Go easy on tea, coffee and red wine for the first day or two while the enamel rehydrates.
Two hygiene visits a year add up to about ninety minutes. You have the other eight thousand hours.
DaVinci DentalWhy home care is most of the resultHow to actually brush and floss
The method the hygienists here teach, in order.
Floss first, one tooth at a time
Curve the floss around each tooth into a C shape and go just under the gum, then repeat on the neighbouring surface. It is two surfaces per gap, not one pass.
A soft brush at forty five degrees
Angle the bristles into the join between tooth and gum. That join is where plaque accumulates and where a straight-on brush never reaches.
Small circles, light pressure
Let the bristles do it. If they are splaying, you are pressing too hard and wearing the tooth where it is thinnest.
Two minutes, and spit, do not rinse
Rinsing with water immediately washes the fluoride straight off. Spit, and leave it.
When to ring rather than wait
Most things can wait for a normal appointment. These cannot, and knowing the difference is worth reading before you need it.
-
01
A knocked-out adult tooth
Minutes matter. Hold it by the crown, back into the socket if you can or into milk if you cannot, and ring immediately.
-
02
Swelling that is spreading
Toward the eye or under the jaw, or with difficulty swallowing or breathing. That is King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, not a dental chair.
-
03
Pain that stops suddenly after being severe
It can mean the nerve has died while the infection carries on quietly. Do not take it as good news.
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04
Bleeding after an extraction that will not settle
Gentle pressure on gauze for twenty minutes first. If it continues, ring.
The questions we get most
Do not see yours here. Call the practice on 441 292 0107 and ask. Nobody minds the question.
Call 441 292 0107How often should I really be seen?
Twice a year suits most people. Three or four hygiene visits a year is common where the gum chart shows deeper pockets, or where you smoke, have diabetes, or take medication that dries your mouth.
The interval comes out of your own chart and is reviewed at each examination.
Is an electric toothbrush better?
For most people yes, mainly because the timer and the pressure sensor correct the two habits people get wrong. A manual brush used properly is perfectly good.
What toothpaste should I use?
One with fluoride in it. Beyond that, most of the differences are marketing. If you have sensitivity, a desensitising paste used consistently for a few weeks is worth trying, and tell us about it at your next visit.
Do I need mouthwash?
Usually not, and it is no substitute for flossing. If you do use one, use it at a different time from brushing, because rinsing straight after brushing washes the fluoride off.
My gums bleed. Should I brush there less?
No, that is the one thing not to do. Bleeding is usually inflammation from plaque along the gum line and the area needs cleaning more carefully, not less. Raise it at your next hygiene visit.
Book a visit
Tell us what you need and when suits you. We will come back to you to confirm a time. If it is urgent, calling is faster.
- New patients welcome, every age.
- Free exams for children under three.
- CG Insurance, Argus and BF&M claims filed for you.
- Something hurting today? Call 441 292 0107.
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