HAPPY & HEALTHY
Tooth be told With World Oral Health Day taking place in March, Sophie Leer found out the wisdom behind better tooth care
S
ay cheese! If you were ever self-conscious about your smile as a child, you know how much it can affect your confidence. Good dental hygiene is an important part of your general health and wellbeing. Sugary food and drinks are bad for our teeth and can cause painful toothache, low self-esteem and sometimes worse. Brent has the second highest number of five year olds with tooth decay in London. Tooth decay is also the most common reason Brent children, between five and nine years old, have a planned admission to hospital. Cllr Krupesh Hirani, Brent Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health, Culture and Leisure, said: “Tooth decay can be avoided by taking just a few extra minutes each day to ensure you and your family are adopting good habits when it comes to your teeth. “This will prevent longer-term problems from developing and hopefully lead to a happier and healthier life.”
BE SUGAR SMART Eat less sugar and when you do, make sure it is at mealtimes and not before bed. Try sugar free, diet or no added sugar drinks – but remember, plain water or lower fat milks are best. VISIT THE DENTIST Make regular trips to the dentist, this is free up until the age of 18 so make the most of this for your children while you can. Pregnant? Free care for you too! Your treatment stays free up until your baby’s first birthday. GET THE BEST FROM YOUR TOOTHBRUSH You should brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride tooth paste, once before bed and once again at any other time. Finally, spit don’t rinse – toothpaste helps to protect your teeth even after brushing . YOUR BRENT | SPRING 2020
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