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Looking after your teeth

Did you know that looking after your teeth is essential for your overall health?  Dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease not only affect your teeth, they can also have a serious impact on your general health and wellbeing.

To prevent gum disease and tooth decay, it's important to fully brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for about two minutes (your toothpaste should contain at least 1,350 parts per million (ppm) fluoride and you'll find this information on the tube or box).  This will help stop the build up of plaque, which contributes to dental problems, keeping your teeth and mouth healthy.

If you've got dentures (false teeth), it's still important to make sure you clean them properly, as you would with normal teeth, to keep them and your mouth healthy.

To find out more about how to keep your teeth clean and the health risks of gum disease, take a look at the NHS website.

If you'd like to know more about having a healthier lifestyle, including healthy eating, stopping smoking or reducing your alcohol intake, all of which can benefit both your oral and general healthiness, visit our keeping well, staying healthy section.

Dental treatment

It's important to have regular check-ups with your dentist, so don't put off going, as detecting any problems early can mean they're easier to treat.  Find a dentist near you via the NHS website.

If you have a dental emergency which requires urgent treatment, there are a number of dental access centres around the county.  To find out more, visit the Wye Valley NHS Trust website.
Time to Shine logo with a smiling cartoon tooth

Children's dental care

Did you know...Tooth decay is the most common oral disease in children and young people and 1 in 3 five year olds in Herefordshire have decayed, missing or filled teeth?

Herefordshire Council's fantastic Time to Shine programme offers free online oral health training for all parents, to help support you to maintain good oral health for your child.

The short training course covers topics such as the main causes of dental decay and dental development and will help develop your knowledge and confidence of good oral health.

The training is also suitable for professionals who work with children and families across Herefordshire.  It includes modules which will help you support people to develop good oral health habits, through effective behaviour change conversations.

Start your Time to Shine training today!


Downloadable leaflets

To find out more about how to look after children's teeth, you can also download any of the below leaflets (simply click on your chosen leaflet).

Brush, Book, Bed is available for babies or three and four year olds.

Making Every Contact Count (MECC) dental health leaflets are for 0 - 17 year olds and are available in English, Lithuanian and Polish.

Brush, Book, Bed

An animated image of a mouse, books and toothbrush on the Brush, Book, Bed leaflet for babies     An animated image of a mouse, books and toothbrush on the Brush, Book, Bed leaflet for three and four year olds


MECC English versions

     


MECC aprašymai lietuvių kalba (Lithuanian versions)

     


MECC opisy w jęyzku polskim (Polish versions)

     

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