What is my Oral Health Prescription?
Your oral health prescription has a number of important roles:
1. It is a way of indentifying areas of prevention crucial to you maintaining a healthy mouth
2. It acts as a reminder of what you need to be doing
3. Allows you to set and monitor goals regarding your teeth.
To begin with, the prescription may seem like a lot to take in- but I am sure there are a few boxes you can tick already and once you are doing everything effectively and without thinking- that’s it- your pretty much done! Then you become one of those lucky people for whom a dental visit is just a quick check and clean to keep things ticking over.
Your personal oral health prescription will look something like this:
Dental caries (decay) risk: low/ medium/ high
Periodontal (gum) disease: mild/ moderate/ severe
Generalised/ localised
Plaque removal (bacteria)
Toothbrush: manual/ electric
Daily brushing: now______ times/day; goal______ times/day
Flossing: now______ times /wk; goal______ times/wk
Inter-proximal brushes: Pixters: colour________________
Tongue brush: yes/ no
Mouthwash: Savacol/ Plax
Specialist cleaning instructions:dentures/ braces/ bridge implant.
Diet advice (sugar)
- Avoid sugary snacks between meals (most of the time); eating more at meal times will help do this
- Avoid sugary drinks between meals (most of the time); drink water instead
- Group sugary things with your meals (most of the time); particularly sugary drinks and sugary dessert type treats
- Limit refined sugars; that is chocolate, sweets, biscuits, ice cream, pastries etc. (i.e. not everyday, unless with meals)
- Substitute sugar in coffee and tea with a non- sugar alternative/sweetener
- Keep sugar clear of night time- nothing sugary right before bed and definitely nothing sugary during the night
- Drink sugary drinks such as sodas, juices and iced tea through a straw where possible
- Drink water after a sugary intake to wash help wash it down
- Find a sugar free medicine substitute (if you need to).
Protection (fluoride)
Toothpaste strength: child/ normal/ high
Leave on at night-spit don’t rinse.
Mouthwash: NeutraFluor 220 daily/ NeutraFluor 900 weekly
Gel in tray: nightly/ weekly
Sensitivity
Tooth mousse: Sensodyne/ Colgate /Pro-relief /Pro-enamel
Low saliva
Sugar free gum/ sugar free sweets/ saliva stimulants/ frequent sips of water
Dry mouth mousse /Colgate Dry Mouth Mouthwash
Smoking: yes/ no
Now_______ day; goal________ day
Date to stop:__________ Reason:_____________
Grinding/ clenching: yes/ no
Wearing a night guard/splint: yes/ no
Playing contact sport: yes/ no
Wearing a mouthguard: yes/ no
Sign it. Stick it. Review date.