Interesting info about brushing teeth

[SobranieCocktail]

DD's nursery has an ongoing dental hygiene campaign and DD came home a few weeks ago saying that the tooth-brushing teacher had told her not to use water on her toothbrush. I assumed DD had got the wrong end of the stick and encouraged her to put a bit of water on her brush at least before putting the toothpaste on.

Anyway, I bumped into the toothbrushing teacher yesterday and asked her about it. Turns out that DD had been absolutely right

The new advice is that you brush your teeth with JUST toothpaste...no water at all. And you're not meant to rinse afterwards!

She also said that toothpaste should have at least 1000ppm of fluoride (so not to use "children's" toothpastes, which we don't anyway). Also you shouldn't use mouthwashes immediately after brushing your teeth (again, we don't).

Just thought I'd pass on that info, as I had NO idea!

Anyway, I have used fluoride toothpaste all my life, rinsed and have never had so much as a teeny weeny filling so I tend to think that it works .

well, during my teens Marla, I got through quite a few. They were pretty poor back then. Big, bulky obviously crowned and I was growing. I haven't had a set last me a decade. They crack and chip as they get older and tbh I think I've had some expensive but pretty crap dentistry over the years.
I need a new set now, 2 have tiny cracks at the back that I can feel.
However,...
I've had such extensive work, that we are now fighting a losing battle. My dh has 1 crown which he's had for years and years with no problems and still looks good.

oh ffs, someone write me a one syllable word guide on how to brush teeth please, including when to, or not to, use mouthwash etc.

this is just mental

(i am serious about the guide btw)

Message withdrawn

Er..isn't Cov a dentist?

well, I was told on a recent nhs course for childminders that children should not brush their teeth more than twice a day, and that brushing after lunch (as encouraged by Ofsted) is actually harmful to the tooth enamel as it is softer after eating fruit and juices and the like and brushing can wear it away.
If this is true, I don't understand why so many nurseries are brushing teeth in the day? If it isnt true, I dont understand why they are teaching childminders not to!! LOL

By Rhubarb on Wed 25-Mar-09 14:22:31
You are supposed to spit MrsMattie!

nickschick checks thread title

LOL

Hi, bloss,

I wasn't talking about Australia, as I know nothing about the water or dental advice given over there - the statistic relates to the UK and was in an article in The Times, so is as reliable as their reporting and the dentists that feed the statistics. I don't expect many people other than dentists would actually recognise fluorosis when they saw it (would probably just think someone's teeth were rather uneven in colour, or just unfortunately ugly), or the signs of people having attempted to cover it up. I've never had a filling, either, and don't live in a fluoridated area. My dentist has never expressed surprise at my apparent luck on that front, but merely puts it down to the fact that I brush my teeth regularly and have a sensible diet (and genetic luck). So I still vote for not embracing wholeheartedly the mantra that fluoride is a wonder chemical that will protect your teeth and do you no harm in the process. I say use the stuff, because it clearly can help in the fight against tooth decay if used properly, but with some degree of caution, as you should any other chemical or drug that you use. It is, after all, known to be harmful to health if taken in excess, and known to have an unfortunate cosmetic effect at the very least in actually pretty tiny doses - and you don't know if you are particularly susceptible to the less desirable effects or not until it's too late to do anything about it (ie once your adult teeth have erupted). I'd feel just as bad about my children having fluorosis as I would about them having a few fillings.