Welcome to Dr Antony George's Website

                      

             

Dental Floss is a piece of braided nylon cord which could be waxed or non-waxed. Take about 18 inch of floss and wrap most of it around the middle finger of one hand and the rest around the middle finger of the other hand, leaving a 2 inch length between them. It is then gently eased between the teeth with the aid of the forefinger and the thumb. The floss is pulled in & out, and up & down around the teeth. Plaque and food debris in between the teeth are thus removed. Care of course should be taken that the gums are not injured. Now flossing has become as simple as tooth brushing because of the availability of floss holders.

Finally massage your gums with your fingers and gently brush your tongue. Do not use metal tongue cleaners as they cause damage to the taste buds on the tongue. A mouthwash may be used as a mouth freshener. Do not expect the mouthwash to remove plaque from your teeth. It can only temporarily freshen your breath.

Halitosis or bad breath ranks among the highest cause of social embarrassment. It can prove to be a serious handicap in your personal and professional life. Bad breath usually results from poor oral hygiene. They are caused by anaerobic sulphur producing bacteria. They can also be caused due to some systemic diseases like gastric disorders, diabetes, etc.

1. Eat a balanced diet of vegetables, cereals, fruits, and salads. Eat foods that have vitamins, minerals, calcium, phosphorous and fluoride. Expectant mothers must be particularly careful about their diet as the foundation of a child's teeth occurs by 6^th week intrauterine. Calcification of milk teeth starts by the 6^th month (second trimester). Osteocalcium tablets maybe used to supplement your diet.
2. Do not give into the temptation of frequent snacking. Avoid sweets and sticky foods between meals. Bacteria's love sugar. Eat sweets only at the end of the meal, so that the teeth get cleaned when you brush your teeth after meals.
3. Brush your teeth after every meal. Do not use toothpicks; instead use your brush or floss to remove any food stuck between your teeth.
4. Brush at least twice daily with a good toothbrush and toothpaste. Use the correct brushing technique. Change your brush when the bristles lose their shape, usually every 3-4 months. Brush your tongue. Floss your teeth. Massage your gums with your fingers. Use a mouthwash as a mouth refresher only.
5. Avoid smoking, alcohol, pan chewing, tobacco chewing or gutka. Not only do they result in bad breath they produce Oral Cancer. Oral Cancer in India ranks the highest among all cancers.
6. 6. Visit your dentist regularly preferably every six months or at least once a year. During such check-ups your dentist will be able to correct any small problems, before they have a chance to develop into something serious. Get a professional cleaning of your teeth every year.

• When the first tooth appears start cleaning the baby's teeth to keep plaque off the teeth. Wipe the teeth and gums with a baby washcloth twice a day, or use a baby toothbrush to gently clean the teeth.
• The parent must do the brushing for the child until he\she reaches about seven or eight years of age. Then you still need to do the supervision and checking.
• Bottles at bedtime may be common, but fill the bottle only with water. Other beverages especially milk promote tooth decay, resulting in "Baby Bottle Syndrome".
• It is difficult to keep a child away from sweets. Restrict his\her intake. Give him\her a sweet if he\she is ready to brush his\her teeth immediately after eating the sweet.
• Let your child get used to a toothbrush early. Try putting a little toothpaste on the brush and let the child practice brushing.
• When the bristles become bent or frayed get a new brush.
• Take your child to the dentist by the age of two years. You can prepare your child for this experience by playing dentist and reading children's books about going to the dentist. Don't wait for a problem to occur before making the trip.
• Do not frighten the child  with injections and dentist if he\she is uncooperative with the brushing.
• The parents should set a positive attitude and example about the dental visits. Never bribe your child into going to the dentist, and don't use a dental visit as a punishment.
• Under no circumstances should your child know that you feel any anxiety about going to the dentist yourself.
• An ideal place for your child to practice brushing is in the bathtub. Splatters, drools and gargling messes will be easier to clean.
• Make sure that the child can see in the mirror while brushing his teeth.
• Have several different colored toothbrushes and let your child choose the favorite color of the day.
• To encourage thorough brushing use a timer. The child can brush until the timer rings. Or pick a favorite song of your child and have him\her brush for that length of the song. Two minutes is an ideal length of tooth brushing.
• Practice good hygiene yourself. Floss and brush together.