ORAL AND DENTAL HYGIENE

Effective oral care requires a little dedication and a little time. Teeth should be brushed for at least two minutes twice a day to remove food residue. Daily flossing prevents food from sticking between the teeth. Using oral care products that contain fluoride help to protect tooth enamel, as does avoiding sugary drinks and starchy foods. Avoiding tobacco products and smoking not only improves dental health, but also reduces the risks of oral, throat, and lung cancer. Pharmacies offer the complete range of dental hygiene products, and advice on using them.

Female pharmacy customer: Hello. Do you speak English?

PTA: Hello, yes I do. What can I do for you?
I’ve just been to my dentist and she recommended that I buy various dental hygiene products. Her assistant did the professional cleaning process that I get done twice a year, but because of the pandemic, I didn’t get it done last year. So I now have a few problems, such as gingival bleeding.

Yes, we have been getting a lot of that lately. Although most people take really good care of their teeth, there is no real replacement for thorough professional deep cleansing. So what did your dentist recommend?
First off, she said that I should use a special toothpaste that will help my gums to recover from the bleeding and prevent the build-up of plaque. What is the difference between the toothpaste at the pharmacy and the toothpaste that you can buy at the drugstore?

Well this toothpaste was originally available with herbal extracts and fluoride. Now it comes in different flavours with different active ingredients. It differs from normal toothpaste in that it contains, among other ingredients, sodium bicarbonate. During brushing, the sodium bicarbonate gets through the plaque bacteria layer making it easier to remove. It’s ideal to start using this toothpaste directly after professional cleansing, as it has been shown to prevent renewed build-up of harmful bacteria.
My dentist also recommended a mouthwash from the same company, as well as dental floss and inter-dental brushes in different sizes.

Yes, we have these here. Now don’t worry when you use the floss and your gums start to bleed, the gums are probably irritated and will still bleed for a while. If you persevere, you’ll see that your gums will heal and become stronger.
Right, I’ll try and remember that.

So, that’s the inter-dental brushes, the toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash.
Yes, thank you.

Goodbye. Have a nice day!

You can find this article on page 134 in DIE PTA IN DER APOTHEKE 09/2021.

Catherine Croghan, Lecturer in English and native speaker