Si Hunt Probes Your Dental Hygene

[Si Hunt]

A new survey has revealed that 1 in 10 people don't brush their teeth every day. 30% only do it "a few times a week, or never" and people also use "bizarre instruments to floss with, such as drill bits, shoelaces and twigs".

Strange!

So my questions to you -

1. How often do you brush?
2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?

How healthy are your teeth?

Si.

[Rob McCow]

1. How often do you brush?
Twice a day.

2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
I thought that was 45 minutes each way? I don't know, but I'll time myself tonight. I use an electric toothbrush which brushes your teeth about 100 times a second or something.

3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?
Listerine is a must! I'm quite addicted to the Listerine Tingle that it puts in your mouth.

I haven't been to the dentist for too long though. I keep meaning to arrange an appointment...

[Si Hunt]

I don't trust the brands of Listerene that don't tingle - you know the ones for "soft lads" who need it to be "citrus" coloured. It's vile green or blue for me, and nothing less!

Si.

[Ralph]

1. How often do you brush?
Twice Daily
2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
I do indeed using my swish electric toothbrush
3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?
I use Listerene but my dentist has recommended an alcohol free brand which I'm going to start using (hic). I used to floss using dental tape which I found messy so now I use orange tepees which I much prefer.

How healthy are your teeth?
I go to the dentist every 6 months and the hygenist every 3 months. I think dental hygiene and fresh breath are pretty important

[Rob McCow]

We tried the Colgate Mouthwash for two bottles - absolutely pathetic, might as well have washed your mouth out with orange squash.

[Si Hunt]

Wow, Ralph must have the healthiest mouth in Britain!

Am I alone in not fully trusting electric toothbrushes? I use one, but it just doesn't feel like it's working them very hard. So I always give them a manual brush as well beforehand!

I bet most mouthwashes are useless - like Steve, I like it to numb the whole mouth or I don't feel it's doing anything!

Si.

[Ralph]

Am I alone in not fully trusting electric toothbrushes? I use one, but it just doesn't feel like it's working them very hard. So I always give them a manual brush as well beforehand!

I bet most mouthwashes are useless - like Steve, I like it to numb the whole mouth or I don't feel it's doing anything!

Si.

Vigorous brushing can damage gums so although an electric toothbrush might appear not be working hard it does do the job and it's a safe way to avoid gum damage - I'd fully recommend it

[Trudi G]

1. How often do you brush?
First thing in the morning, last thing at night - and usually after i eat anything. If i'm out, i will chew gum after i've eaten - i can't stand the thought of having stinky breath.

2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
I guess - i don't time it, lol!

3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?
I can't use floss cos my teeth are tightly packed together because i wore a brace as a child - but i regularly use mouthwash.

[Ralph]

[B] i can't stand the thought of having stinky breath.

I hate it when people with honking breath get too close - beware of the black coffee drinker they're one of the worst offenders. Strong Coffee drinkers should also invest in some "smints" or drink plenty of water to freshen up...

The worst offenders leave you chewing on their breath once they've departed

[Milky Tears]

1. How often do you brush?
Two or three times per day.

2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
I time it.

3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?
Both, plus these funky little interdental brushes...




Worship them!

[Ralph]

Yup those tepes are the biz!

[Wayne]

1. How often do you brush?

Every morning deffo, & sometimes last thing at night if i remember.

2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?

What Trudi sez.

3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?

Mouthwash: Yes. Floss: No.

How healthy are your teeth?

I'll tell you next week, That's when my next check up is due. Last 3 check ups were 'No treatment required', so fingers crossed.

[Si Hunt]

Vigorous brushing can damage gums

What damage can be done?

I personally don't really subscribe to that - I want my gums tough, and will happily brush them until they bleed and then beyond! I just keep on brushing them right through that pain barrier! Pain is good!

Si.

[Trudi G]

What damage can be done?

I personally don't really subscribe to that - I want my gums tough, and will happily brush them until they bleed and then beyond! I just keep on brushing them right through that pain barrier! Pain is good!

Si.

Nah - it's true - i've been told by my dentist to brush a bit more gently, because my gums started to recede due to my over vigorous brushing, lol!
People don't seem to realise that bad oral hygene not only makes your teeth rot and you unpopular with the opposite sex, but it also contributes to heart disease.

[Ralph]

What damage can be done?

I personally don't really subscribe to that - I want my gums tough, and will happily brush them until they bleed and then beyond! I just keep on brushing them right through that pain barrier! Pain is good!

Si.

As Trudi says Si - it's good advice honest. I overbrushed in the past - I think it is a habit lots of us have from our parent's advice when we were growing up.

[Rob McCow]

Since I switched to electricritcity toothamebrushes, my gums have not bled nearly as much, if at all. There always used to be a spot or two of bleedy gums.

[Simon R]

I've been warned by the Dentist not to over brush too for it was making the gums recede. There's no way of reversing it either so it's wise to not brush too hard. I'm sure there was an advert on TV a decade or so ago that said it was good if you made your gums bleed as it toughened them up and I blame that.

I need to floss but I find it so tricky. My teeth are quite close together and it's a lot of effort but I should try. I have got one of those little "hummingbird" things but I don't know where it's gone.

[cullsoft]

Recently...

1. How often do you brush?
- Almost every day, usually including mouthwash and now and again flossing.
2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
- Probably not - I don't count how long it takes, but usually about a minute with the paste (so maybe 2 minutes when following up to "brush out the excess with water")
3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?
- Yes. Usually use mouthwash every time I brush, and floss every few days or so (although my dentist's asked me to do so every day, it's a right fiddly pain that often takes far too long to make a half-arsed attempt! )


However, up until a couple of months ago...

1. How often do you brush?
- Barely ever
2. Do you brush for the full 2 minutes?
- No
3. Do you use mouthwash and/or floss?
- Use mouthwash every few days or so

How healthy are my teeth? Well... I'm paying the price for having lousy dental hygiene for the best part of the last 10 years, although I'm reassured that there isn't any major damage to them - I've just got to keep up the habit of brushing regularly and they should sort themselves out (they did need a couple of treatments to brush out all the plaque, and a couple of fillings). However, my wisdom tooth's got issues... I'm due to be getting a call from the hospital in a couple of weeks time for an appointment - probably to get it removed.

[Ralph]

However, my wisdom tooth's got issues... I'm due to be getting a call from the hospital in a couple of weeks time for an appointment - probably to get it removed.

Been there, done that and survived to tell the tale!

[Si Hunt]

Me too. I got bought DWM when I was in there (some time in 1992) and have got every issue since - so not a completely unhappy experience!

Si.

[cullsoft]

Cheers for the reassurances, guys. Though I've got to admit, it's not as bad as the amputation I had to have last time I went to hospital!

[Si Hunt]

Gosh. What did you have amutated?!

I have a funny story from my wisdom teeth extraction (well, it's not THAT funny but here we go). When you come out from under the anaesthetic, you haven't been allowed to drink anything for about 24 hours so you are VERY thirsty. But they warn you that if you have anything too soon you'll vomit. But I was so thirty I BEGGED my Mum and Dad to give me some water. They refused, so I begged them again... so they did and I was sick on them!

It's a jaunty tale!

Si.

[Rob McCow]

Surely a formative moment there from Mr.Hunt and also an apt metaphor for some branches of modern Doctor Who fandom.

[Matthew T]

I always brush my teeth of a morning - I honestly couldn't leave the house otherwise, I have terrible morning mouth. I don't always brush them of a night though, but my teeth are healthy, I've only had one filling in 15 years and that was in an awkwardly-positioned tooth at the back of my mouth.

I don't use mouthwash or floss though.

[cullsoft]

Gosh. What did you have amutated?!

Si.

If you remember to ask at the Skaro meet, I'll tell you then.