*****Competition has now closed and the winners notified*****
As I’m sure you know, there have been some articles in the news lately about how brushing your teeth can directly increase your chances of fertility. Oral care is really important during pregnancy as growing evidence suggests a link between gum disease and premature, low-birth-weight babies. Seeking professional dental advice during pregnancy is really important as your oral health needs do change during this time. If you are registered as an NHS patient and have a current maternity exemption certificate you are entitled to free routine dental treatment until your baby’s first birthday.
Dental health and pregnancy
Last month I had to have the nerve taken out of one of my teeth as I hadn’t been cleaning between my teeth properly and it decayed. Dental treatment when you are pregnant is not fun and although I was able to have a couple of xrays and anaesthetic injections the painkillers they gave me were not strong enough!
Tooth brushing alone cannot remove the plaque from in between the teeth which is where most dental disease starts. Interdental cleaning can be achieved by using a plethora of oral hygiene aids but the easiest and most professionally recommended aid of choice is an interdental brush. Generally the spaces between the teeth at the front of the mouth are smaller than those at the back so you may need to use more that one size brush.
TePe Interdental Brushes are for cleaning interdentally between your teeth, and getting rid of all that hidden debris and plaque. Ranging from its smallest 0.4mm brush through to the 0.8mm brush the mixed pack is ideal for customers who need extra help reaching spaces between teeth or around bridges, implants or for making oral health easier for people with orthodontic appliances (braces).
Giveaway:
I have 5 x packs of TePe Interdental Brush Mixed Pack worth £3.49 to giveaway to readers of the gingerbread house blog.
To enter:
Simple give me your top tip for looking after your teeth!
For an extra entry you can tweet this competition using the tweet button below or copy and paste: @I want to look after my teeth with @gingerbread_mum
Please leave a separate comment for each entry so I can track them.
Terms and conditions:
Winner will be chosen at random using random.org at 10pm on the 31st July 2011. Sorry – UK only.
56 Comments
Stewart Johnston
July 22, 2011 at 6:59 pmUse a regular mouthwash twice a day after brushing
Renee Armstrong
July 22, 2011 at 7:58 pmAlways change your toothbrush every 3 months
carole maciver
July 22, 2011 at 8:14 pmdrink water and eat plenty fruit
claire woods
July 22, 2011 at 9:23 pmI use a floride free toothpaste. I also use something called ORAMD, which claims to be good for gum disease. Also brush your teeth twice a day.
claire woods
July 22, 2011 at 9:23 pmTweeted as @clairew137
lattieh@yahoo.com
July 22, 2011 at 9:36 pmMy tip is always brush in a circular motion not up and down or side to side.
jennie kerley
July 22, 2011 at 9:48 pmuse te pe brushes or interdens beween your teeth,then rinse with mouthwaash
Beverley
July 22, 2011 at 10:08 pmI always dip my toothbrush in a bottle of anti-bacterial mouthwash after use. Keep germs off my toothbrush and makes me feel better than if I’ve just rinsed it.
Alison Sperry
July 22, 2011 at 11:04 pmFloss twice daily. I’ve had to have fillings because I didn’t floss and there was food stuck between my teeth for ages (Gross)!
Erica
July 23, 2011 at 7:34 amBuy a good quality toothpaste.
Erica
July 23, 2011 at 7:47 amTweeted @ericahughes
laura stewart
July 23, 2011 at 8:20 ambrush after every meal
gabrielle svensson
July 23, 2011 at 12:06 pmFloss daily.
andrea tinkler
July 23, 2011 at 1:02 pmwe change our brushes every 3 months. i always have dental floss and mouth wash in the bathroom. dental hygiene is so so important.
simontink@aol.com
mellymoo2@sky.com
July 23, 2011 at 1:37 pmBrush twice daily!!!
Melanie Pennie
July 23, 2011 at 1:38 pmHave tweeted @mj4069
Sam Stevens
July 23, 2011 at 1:49 pmI know it’s boring but floss floss floss!
laura jones
July 23, 2011 at 4:11 pmmake sure you always keep dental appointments its easy to put it off but if you dont go you could pay a high price no need to be scared dentists really have changed and if they can cope with me they can cope with anyone!!
Clifford Sherwood
July 23, 2011 at 4:28 pmChew gum while your at work
Naomi K
July 23, 2011 at 8:18 pmI think the best way to look after your teeth is by brushing, though you need to take care not to eat too many sugary sweets or drinks or even too much healthy fruit (to protect your enamel). I think giving a quick rinse with mouthwash after brushing keeps you feeling fresh all day.
Carolina J.
July 23, 2011 at 9:12 pmBrusj religiously twice a day and floss. (@pandcands)
Carolina J.
July 23, 2011 at 9:12 pmTweeted! (@pandcands)
Lisa Morrow
July 24, 2011 at 12:54 amChew sugar free gum after eating and floss at least once a week.
Karen
July 24, 2011 at 3:30 pmDon’t skimp on brushing time, and make sure that everywhere gets a thorough going over
jane steels
July 24, 2011 at 5:50 pmUse a good tooth brush, buying a new one every couple of months, and try to cut out all sugars.
Laura Pritchard
July 25, 2011 at 9:35 amBite the bullet & visit the dentist before it gets too bad. I finally went to one again after 5 years & luckily there was no irreparable damage but my gums certainly weren’t perfect & needed several descales. I hate going but you do feel better for it afterwards!
Laura Pritchard
July 25, 2011 at 9:36 amHave tweeted the message @Isis1981uk
J Beale
July 25, 2011 at 11:17 amUse an Interdental Brush, floss, use an electric toothbrush with a good toothpaste and mouthwash twice a day.
Emma L Clarke
July 25, 2011 at 11:41 amMy top tip is to not only brush your teeth, but to floss and use mouth wash also!
@emma1111111
Emma L Clarke
July 25, 2011 at 11:42 amFor a bonus entry into the competition, I have also tweeted a link to the giveaway
@emma1111111
kieranwalsh1949@googlemail.com
July 25, 2011 at 3:24 pmbrush twice a day, chewing gum after meals helps
kieranwalsh1949@googlemail.com
July 25, 2011 at 3:25 pmre tweeted
Rebecca Murphy
July 25, 2011 at 6:17 pmJust make sure you DO brush – it’s all-to-easy to forget!
Hazel
July 25, 2011 at 9:13 pmBrush methodically – it is very easy to miss areas of your teeth but if you always brush in the same “pattern” you’ll never miss an area.
Hazel
July 25, 2011 at 9:14 pmI have tweeted as @beachrambler.
Kate
July 26, 2011 at 3:15 pmWhen eating fruit or raw vegetables always but them up into bite size chunks. Don’t ever bite straight into them!
Helena Haddock
July 26, 2011 at 9:34 pmuse a good mouthwash
Emma Button
July 26, 2011 at 10:19 pmCut down on fizzy drinks and staining drinks. I currently consume way too much of both.
lorna anderson
July 26, 2011 at 10:57 pmbrush every day
Colin Gault
July 27, 2011 at 9:06 pmBrush them twice daily religiously
Catherine (@MummyLion)
July 27, 2011 at 11:14 pmdont brush too hard – ive been wearing my poor teeth away 🙁 @mummylion
Catherine (@MummyLion)
July 27, 2011 at 11:14 pmive tweeted too @mummylion
vicky haddock
July 28, 2011 at 9:13 amDon’t forget to change your toothbrush every three months
Julie Barrett
July 28, 2011 at 4:06 pmBrush twice daily and use agood quality mouthwash
@juliebarrett62
Julie Barrett
July 28, 2011 at 4:07 pmI’ve tweeted too
@juliebarrett62
Sheila Maxwell
July 28, 2011 at 9:55 pmFloss daily
Ellen Stafford
July 29, 2011 at 8:01 pmFloss them daily and don’t drink too much coke (unlike me!!!)
@webkinny
Ellen Stafford
July 29, 2011 at 8:02 pmI have tweeted @Webkinny
Marzena
July 29, 2011 at 10:27 pmBrush your teeth at least twice a day
@marzutek on twitter
Marzena
July 29, 2011 at 10:28 pmI tweeted @marzutek
suan watts
July 30, 2011 at 10:35 amUsing my electric toothbrush twice a day
Emily Hutchinson
July 30, 2011 at 11:57 amKeep a travel toothbrush in your handbag, that way you can clean your teeth when you’re out and about.
Colin Burbidge
July 31, 2011 at 9:09 amAfter acidic food and drink (such as wine) DON’T immediately clean your teeth. The acid attacks the ‘mortar’ between microscopic bricks of enamel on your teeth.. by brushing you will take the surface off those tiny enamel bricks, effectively wearing away the enamel. Simply rinse with a high flouride mouthwash and give your teeth time to recover before brushing.
Leonie Sanford
July 31, 2011 at 5:19 pmNot to have some much food & drink containing acid
joan
July 31, 2011 at 9:59 pmFLOSS DAILY
Taylor
November 18, 2011 at 9:24 amCraving is the issue on pregnancy. Extent to that, you probably conscious on your teeth. Be on what you feel to do, not necessarily after you eat.
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Taylor