Author: Nicole – The Little Guru

This September, National Oral Health Month, dental experts are sharing 5 ways to take your oral health to the next level + Giveaway up for grabs. Taking your oral care up a level is as easy as adding floss to your daily routine.

It’s estimated that less than a third of South Africans floss regularly and, according to Stella Lamprecht, President of the Oral Hygienists’ Association of South Africa (OHASA), many of them do it incorrectly.

Here are 5 ways to take your oral health to the next level.

“Firstly, understand why it’s important,” said Dirna Grobbelaar, Ivohealth’s Oral Hygiene Advisor. “It’s a simple step to help prevent bad breath, cavities and gum disease. Remember the teeth have five sides and brushing only cleans three. If not removed with floss or another interproximal tool, food particles and invisible bacteria remain trapped between the teeth.

“Poor oral hygiene can have long-term health consequences, including diabetes, heart disease, pre-term and low-birthweight babies. Taking proper care of your mouth is important for your overall health.”

Who needs to do it? Apparently, everyone who has teeth. Just because you don’t have much ‘space’ between your teeth isn’t a license not to floss! Even children should clean in-between once the teeth begin to touch, which is often when permanent teeth appear.

When is the best time to clean in-between? Stella Lamprecht recommends “at least once a day, preferably at night, before going to bed. Whether you brush or floss first doesn’t matter, the main thing is to do it consistently every day.”

There isn’t a one size fits all approach. People have varied lifestyles, dexterity and spaces between the teeth. Finding an interdental tool that suits you, can make a life-changing difference.

Importance of Flossing

Traditional string floss is popular and effective when used correctly. Unfortunately, according to Lamprecht, about 40% of patients who do floss regularly are not using the correct technique. If you’re just learning to floss or have limited dexterity or poor eye-hand coordination, you may find floss on a handle easier to use.

Technique is Important

Tiny reusable interdental brushes are ideal to reach the back teeth or when you have wider gaps, bridges, braces or receding gums. Oral irrigators, using air or water to dislodge food and bacteria, can be helpful, particularly for people who can’t get to grips with floss or other interproximal tools.

“If you’re unsure about which floss or tool is right for you, ask your dentist or oral hygienist. They would love to help you make cleaning in-between a daily habit,” said Grobbelaar.

For Dirna Grobbelaar’s step by step guide on how to ‘floss like a boss’ and ace your interdental cleaning routine click here

GIVEAWAY

This September – National Oral Health Month – we’re giving away a Sunstar GUM oral care kits worth over R800. Each kit contains your personal choice of 3 GUM interdental essentials, plus a GUM ActiVital Sonic toothbrush, GUM Original White toothpaste and mouth rinse.

Sunstar GUM is recommended by dental professionals around the world and available from Dis-Chem, Clicks, selected Checkers, Pick n Pay, SPAR, pharmacies and dentists.

Giveaway Details

Head on over to our Instagram Page- thelittleguru_sa for giveaway details and enter there!

Prize Details

Sunstar GUM oral care kits (valued up to R888 each) including:

GUM ActiVital Sonic toothbrush (R270), GUM Original White toothpaste (R69),GUM Original White mouth rinse (R102)

Plus the winner’s choice of 3 of these floss/interdental options:

Expanding Floss (R69)
Soft-Picks Comfort Flex with Cool Mint (R99)
Soft-Picks Advanced (R106)
Bi-Direction interdental brushes (R105)
Ortho Floss (R105)
Access Floss (R105)
Easy-Flossers (floss on a handle) (R65)
Original White Floss (R65)
Soft-Picks regular (R89)
Trav-Ler interdental brushes (R128)

Distribution: Prizes will be dispatched to arrive within 6 to 8 weeks of winners’ details being received.