Research has shown that gum disease is linked to health issues in other parts of the body. Regular brushing of your teeth not only prevents gum disease and tooth decay it can improve your overall health too.

In fact gum disease has been show to increase your risk of other complications such as:

• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Heart disease

What is gum disease?

It is an infection of tissues around the teeth primarily caused by bacteria generated by plaque build up. If left to get severe the intense gum inflamation “spills over” into the bloodstream and is believed to cause damage to blood vessels over a long period of time.

So what can you do?

Well the good news is that regular brushing of your teeth along with regular dental check-ups prevents gum disease and improves your general health.

Follow a routine of brushing with flouride tooth paste twice daily and cleaning between teeth with dental floss. Visit your dentist and hygienist regularly for check-ups and cleaning.

• Let them watch you brush your teeth from an early age and brush your teeth at the same time as them to show good technique
• Guide your child’s hand so they can get to know the correct movement
• Use colourful and fun toothbrushes. You can get themed toothbrushes with their favourite character on and even ones that light up or play music!
• Turn the whole thing into a game! Try singing or making up a story around the whole process to make it interesting.
• Make lots of noise and brush your teeth with enthusiasm. Make it exciting and they will not want to miss out on the fun!
• Make sure they brush their teeth for two minutes, use egg timers or timer toothbrushes so they learn how long they should brush for