Oral Hygiene & Diet - Teeth For Health

Prevention of Oral Diseases
Most oral diseases are preventable. Their prevention/ management requires both you and your dental practitioner(s) to work together.
What can you do?
Brushing 2 times/day and clean your tongue regularly
Interdental cleaning/flossing at least 1 time/day
A healthy diet with adequate nutritional intake
Use of suitable dental products e.g. toothpaste and tooth mousse
Regular check ups from a dental practitioner
Attendance for clinical management as requested*
What can your dental practitioner(s) do?
Check your teeth, gums and other oral structures
Inform you of your oral health and provide comprehensive explanation
Provide consented management as deemed necessary within their competency
Provide referral pathway to other dental or health practitioners if necessary
*Treatment may be completed in multiple visits to ensure the most effective and successful treatment outcome
Brushing
The aim of tooth brushing is to remove dental plaque (bacteria) from our teeth and apply fluoide to reduce the risk of oral diseases.

Recommended routine: brush 2 times/day for 2 minutes each with modified Bass Technique (as shown below)

Step 1 - Be gentle, use a soft and fine toothbrush, do not brush too hard

Step 2 - Place your toothbrush at 45 degrees angle towards the gum line and brush gently up and down (especially if you have receding gums/exposed root surfaces)

Step 3a (manual) - After cleaning the gum line, use a gentle, small circular motion on 2 to 3 teeth for 5 seconds and start brushing

Step 3b (electric) - Place the oscillating head on each tooth surface for 3-4 seconds, then move on (no circular motion)

Step 4 - Brush all surfaces of every tooth and your tongue softly

Practical tip - "Spit no rinse" technique, spit out the excess toothpaste and do not rinse with water
(Prolonged exposure of toothpaste maximizes the effect of fluoride in preventing decay and reducing sensitivity*)

*Dosage of fluoride/type of toothpaste varies between kids and adults - consult your dental practitioner before using

Tooth abrasion caused by brushing too hard - higher risk of root decay and sensitivity
Flossing/Interdental Cleaning
The aim of flossing and interdental cleaning is to remove food debris and plaque in between your teeth, where the bristles on your toothbrush cannot access. However, flossing and interdental cleaning cannot substitute each other.

Step 1 - Take a 40 cm length of floss and wrap 2 loops around your left and right middle fingers, leave about 5 to 6 cm in the middle

Step 2 - Gently push the floss in between your teeth and press it down below the gaps/ contact points

Step 3 - Floss up and down against the sides of both teeth by making a C-shape around 1 tooth, then the adjacent one

Step 4 - Clean the gaps of both front and back teeth*

Practical tip - Do not push too hard or use a sawing action to avoid damage to your gums

*If there is any inflammation, gums are expected to bleed when brushing/flossing. The bleeding should stop with regular cleaning in most cases.
Step 1 - Select an appropriate size brush* after brushing your teet

Step 2 - Insert the interdental brush in the gap in between your teeth and slight press against the side of one tooth

Step 3 - Gently move the brush in and out of the gap (contact point), from the inside and the outside of the gap

Step 4 - Clean the gaps of both front and back teeth

Step 5 - Wash the brush under running water after using it, change the brush if the bristles become worn out/ blunt

Practical tip - Interdental cleaning may involve the use of more than one brush size, consult your dental practitioner to choose the most appropriate size(s)

*Piksters Interdental Brush below is used as an example to demonstrate different sizes
Interdental brushes can be used to clean between teeth during braces, dental bridge and dental implants.
You may need to consider a combination of products: consult a dental practitioner first.
We recommend using the water flosser when you are taking a shower (unless this is your first time).
Tongue Cleaning
More than 50% of oral bacteria live on your tongue! They can produce volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs), leading to bad breath and certain health issues*. The tongue is part of your mouth and it should be looked after.

You can either use a tongue scraper or a toothbrush.

Step 1 - Be gentle, place the scraper at the back of the tongue and pull the tool forward to the front of your tongue

Step 2 - Move the scraper across your tongue multiple times at different angles

Step 3 - Remove the excess food or debris from your tongue by rinsing your mouth with water

Step 4 - Remove or rinse the tongue scraper each time you use it to keep it sanitary and clean

Frequency: Twice daily after brushing and flossing

*Dosage of fluoride/type of toothpaste varies between kids and adults - consult your dental practitioner before using
Use of Dental Products
Dental products contain different active ingredients to prevent and manage different conditions.
Basic
In general, normal toothpastes with fluoride are recommended (without whitening agent), such as:
Cologate Total Original/Advanced Clean
Oral B Gum Care & Enamel Restore
Sensodyne Repair & Protect
However, if you have sensitive teeth, your dental practitioner may recommend the use of sensitive toothpastes, e.g. Cologate Sensitive Pro-Relief and Sensodyne Sensitive Teeth Pain Rapid Relief.

Instructions to use them:
2-3 weeks of regular toothpaste > 2 weeks of sensitive toothpaste and repeat the cycle until the sensitivity reduces to a tolerable level. Prolonged usage can reduce the effect of certain agents.
Advanced*
If you have specific oral conditions such as rampant tooth decay, severe gum diseases or dry mouth, your dental practitioner may recommend the following products.
Neutrafluor 5000 Plus toothpaste
Sensodyne Deep Clean
GC Tooth Mousse
Cologate Savacol mouthwash (with chlorhexidine)
Colgate Neutrafluor 220 daily fluoride mouth rinse
Biotene 7 mouth spray/gel/mouthwash
Cologate Plax Antibacterial Mouthwash (no alcohol)
Please consult your dental practitioner for exact instructions. Prolonged usage of certain products can cause unnecessary side effects.

If you have specific dental appliance(s), you can consider the following products:
Polident Retainer & Mouthguard Cleanser
Polident 3 Minute Denture Cleanser
Polident Denture Adhesive Cream Flavour Free

*The actual usage and frequency mainly depend on the severity of the oral condition(s) and related medical health
Denture Hygiene
Both full and partial dentures need to be cleaned daily using the following tips.

Tip 1 - Clean your denture(s) after meals

Tip 2 - Brush your denture(s) with a separate soft bristled toothbrush and liquid soap

Tip 3 - Fill the sink with water and clean your denture(s) on top to avoid breakage if dropped

Tip 4 - Remove your denture(s) overnight and leave it in a clean and dry container

Please visit your local dental practitioner regularly to review the condition of your denture(s) and oral cavity
Diet and Oral Health
Diet plays an important role in maintaining good oral health. Sugary and acidic things can damage your teeth.

The following list of foods and drinks can increase risk of oral diseases, including tooth decay and oral cancer.

Candies
Sugar in candies allows bacteria to produce acid and increases the risk of tooth decay.
Ice
Chewing on hard substances such as ice cubes can fracture enamel or crack your teeth.
Fruit Juices
Frequent exposure to acidic fruits such as lemon and lime can erode your teeth and cause tooth decay.
Coffee and Tea
Frequent consumption of tea and coffee can cause dry mouth. Addition of sugar can increase the risk of tooth decay.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are concentrated and high in sugar content. They are sticky and cannot be removed easily by brushing, thus increasing the risk of tooth decay.
Crunchy Snacks
Snacks such as potato ships tend to get soften and linger in between teeth. Sugary residues left behind can increase risk of tooth decay and gum diseases.
Carbonated Soft Drinks
Most fizzy soft drinks are acidic and expose your teeth to a high content of sugar. This results in a higher risk of erosion, sensitivity and tooth decay from progressing.
Alcohol
Alcoholic drinks can dehydrate your mouth and expose your teeth to a highly acidic environment for a prolonged period. Alcohol increases the risk of tooth decay and even oral cancer.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks can contain high amounts of sugar and acid. Our body tends to produce less saliva during physical activity, resulting in a reduced ability to buffer these acid attacks. It increases the risk of developing decay.
Tips of maintaining good diet and oral health
Limit the frequency of sweet food and drinks/ sugar consumption in tea and coffee
Choose healthy snacks such as fresh fruits, natural yogurt and cheese
Higher intake of fluoridated tap water and plain milk
Sugar-free chewing gum after meals
Use a straw when having fizzy/ sweet drinks
Rinse instead of brushing after having carbonated soft drinks/ alcohol

Prevention of Oral Diseases

Most oral diseases are preventable. Their prevention/ management requires both you and your dental practitioner(s) to work together.

What can you do?

What can your dental practitioner(s) do?

Check your teeth, gums and other oral structuresInform you of your oral health and provide comprehensive explanationProvide consented management as deemed necessary within their competencyProvide referral pathway to other dental or health practitioners if necessary

*Treatment may be completed in multiple visits to ensure the most effective and successful treatment outcome

Brushing

The aim of tooth brushing is to remove dental plaque (bacteria) from our teeth and apply fluoide to reduce the risk of oral diseases. Recommended routine: brush 2 times/day for 2 minutes each with modified Bass Technique (as shown below)

Tooth abrasion caused by brushing too hard - higher risk of root decay and sensitivity

Flossing/Interdental Cleaning

The aim of flossing and interdental cleaning is to remove food debris and plaque in between your teeth, where the bristles on your toothbrush cannot access. However, flossing and interdental cleaning cannot substitute each other.

Interdental brushes can be used to clean between teeth during braces, dental bridge and dental implants.

You may need to consider a combination of products: consult a dental practitioner first.

We recommend using the water flosser when you are taking a shower (unless this is your first time).

Tongue Cleaning

More than 50% of oral bacteria live on your tongue! They can produce volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs), leading to bad breath and certain health issues*. The tongue is part of your mouth and it should be looked after. You can either use a tongue scraper or a toothbrush.

Use of Dental Products

Dental products contain different active ingredients to prevent and manage different conditions.

Basic

Advanced*

Denture Hygiene

Both full and partial dentures need to be cleaned daily using the following tips.

Diet and Oral Health

Diet plays an important role in maintaining good oral health. Sugary and acidic things can damage your teeth. The following list of foods and drinks can increase risk of oral diseases, including tooth decay and oral cancer.

Candies

Sugar in candies allows bacteria to produce acid and increases the risk of tooth decay.

Ice

Chewing on hard substances such as ice cubes can fracture enamel or crack your teeth.

Fruit Juices

Frequent exposure to acidic fruits such as lemon and lime can erode your teeth and cause tooth decay.

Coffee and Tea

Frequent consumption of tea and coffee can cause dry mouth. Addition of sugar can increase the risk of tooth decay.

Dried Fruits

Dried fruits are concentrated and high in sugar content. They are sticky and cannot be removed easily by brushing, thus increasing the risk of tooth decay.

Crunchy Snacks

Snacks such as potato ships tend to get soften and linger in between teeth. Sugary residues left behind can increase risk of tooth decay and gum diseases.

Carbonated Soft Drinks

Most fizzy soft drinks are acidic and expose your teeth to a high content of sugar. This results in a higher risk of erosion, sensitivity and tooth decay from progressing.

Alcohol

Alcoholic drinks can dehydrate your mouth and expose your teeth to a highly acidic environment for a prolonged period. Alcohol increases the risk of tooth decay and even oral cancer.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks can contain high amounts of sugar and acid. Our body tends to produce less saliva during physical activity, resulting in a reduced ability to buffer these acid attacks. It increases the risk of developing decay.

Tips of maintaining good diet and oral health

Sugar-free chewing gum after meals

Use a straw when having fizzy/ sweet drinks

Rinse instead of brushing after having carbonated soft drinks/ alcohol

Check your teeth, gums and other oral structures
Inform you of your oral health and provide comprehensive explanation
Provide consented management as deemed necessary within their competency
Provide referral pathway to other dental or health practitioners if necessary

The aim of tooth brushing is to remove dental plaque (bacteria) from our teeth and apply fluoide to reduce the risk of oral diseases.

Recommended routine: brush 2 times/day for 2 minutes each with modified Bass Technique (as shown below)

More than 50% of oral bacteria live on your tongue! They can produce volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs), leading to bad breath and certain health issues*. The tongue is part of your mouth and it should be looked after.

You can either use a tongue scraper or a toothbrush.

Diet plays an important role in maintaining good oral health. Sugary and acidic things can damage your teeth.

The following list of foods and drinks can increase risk of oral diseases, including tooth decay and oral cancer.