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Added advice

Suggest the following tips to help customers look after their oral health:

  • Practise good oral hygiene
  • Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid damage to tooth enamel
  • Change manual toothbrushes and electric toothbrush heads every three months
  • Start brushing children’s teeth as soon as they start coming through and get them into a good routine from a young age
  • Consider fluoride supplements or mouth rinses for children at risk of dental decay
  • Get regular dental check-ups – how regular will depend on a dentist’s recommendation, but usually every six months
  • Don’t delay dental treatment, as it may make problems worse and harder to treat later on
  • Dentures and braces should fit well, be checked regularly and cleaned thoroughly
  • Rinsing the mouth with warm salt water can help ease dental pain
  • Limit snacking, particularly on sugary foods and drinks, between meals
  • Eat a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables
  • Chewing sugar-free gum after eating helps to stimulate saliva – one of the body’s natural defences against the acid produced by the bacteria in plaque.

Fluoride facts

The amount of fluoride in toothpaste is measured in parts per million (ppm). Toothpastes containing 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride are the most effective. A dentist may advise people to use higher strength toothpaste if they are at a particular risk of tooth decay. 

In general:

  • Children aged under three years should brush twice daily, with a smear of toothpaste containing at least 1,000ppm fluoride
  • Children aged between three and six years should brush at least twice daily with a pea-sized amount of toothpaste containing more than 1,000ppm fluoride
  • Adults should brush at least twice daily with a toothpaste containing 1,350 to 1,500ppm fluoride. 

Age-appropriate products containing the recommended amounts of fluoride are available for children.

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