Your Dental Questions Answered
Do you really need to floss? What's the deal with wisdom teeth? Do I really need all that fluoride, anyway? Beijing United Family Hospital's fabulous French dentist, Dr. Audrey Pelletan, addresses some of our most pressing dental concerns.
Is it okay to clean your teeth with Beijing tap water?
As far as I am aware, it’s absolutely fine to clean with Beijing tap water. I’ve never done any lab testing or analysis to confirm, but I haven’t heard – or experienced – anything to suggest otherwise. I clean with the water, my friends and my colleagues do too, and have never encountered any problems in terms of sickness or negative effects on dental health.
Of course, the water is not drinkable, but for cleaning, please don’t worry! If there is a problem, it’s not so much about what’s in the water, but what’s not – fluoride.
Ah, yes I’ve heard that. What does fluoride do, and what can we do to make up for it not being in the water in China?
Fluoride strengthens the teeth and protects them from demineralization, which causes decay and cavities. It is particularly important for kids as their teeth develop, so we recommend applying a protective fluoride varnish twice a year. It’s a topical treatment that lasts for six months at a time, and is a relatively quick and easy for us to do.
For adults, a good-quality toothpaste should be sufficient to make up for the missing fluoride.
Is the quality of dental care products available here in China inferior to those in the West?
I haven’t seen anything to suggest so – I don’t know the exact composition of Chinese toothpastes, but the foreign brands are all available here if you are concerned. It’s a case of trying a few and seeing how they feel, but if you do have any doubts, it’s good to know you have those imported products available here as comfort.
Whether it’s here in Beijing or elsewhere, what are your top tips for keeping teeth healthy?
Well, first things first, don’t forget your dentist! I can’t stress enough how important it is to see your dentist every six months, as prevention is always the best solution, targeting problems early in their development.
I know back in France, it’s almost completely forgotten about, and this is, unfortunately, the case most places, but you must remember to floss, as there are so many areas of your teeth and gums that your toothbrush can’t reach.
How often should we be flossing?
Daily! Once you get into the routine, you’ll soon notice the benefits.
As a parent, how can I ensure my child’s teeth are healthy?
Well, this goes for you and all adults too, but avoid giving your child too many sugary drinks. In an ideal world, cut them out completely! They really are terrible for teeth. It’s the same with all sugary snacks, though it is obviously unrealistic to avoid them entirely. So, moderation is very important when it comes to those sweet treats, for you and your child.
Is there anything I can do to prevent my child needing braces or major dental work?
If you start good practices and instill good habits early on, your children are likely to encounter fewer problems as they grow up. Unfortunately, when it comes to structural development, it’s not really possible to predict how a child’s second set of teeth will grow, or how their facial structure will change, so there’s not much we can do to prevent the need for braces.
One important measure that is within your control, however, is to stop your child sucking their thumb, as this can influence the alignment of teeth. If your kid doesn’t listen – how often do they listen to their parents?! – bring them to the dentist, and have a professional explain. I’ve found that works!
How do you keep kids calm in the dentist's chair?
We have special pediatric dental rooms here at BJU, with TV screens that play cartoons and movies for kids, to distract them and take their minds off what’s going on. Also, our nurses will assist us with kids; they are trained very well – though most are naturals – to talk all the time to kids and help them forget about being in the big scary chair!
And how about adults?
It’s all about being patient with the patient. For adults, their fear usually stems back to an experience at the dentist they had as a kid that perhaps felt slightly traumatic. It’s a nightmare for them. It’s very difficult to just forget.
They need to understand what is going on, what you are doing step by step, and why it’s not going to harm them; they need to feel confident with you and trust that you are going to be gentle, so reassuring them and conversing in a calm manner is vital. If you don’t explain it to them, there’s no way to overcome the fear and treat them.
What about wisdom teeth – when should we get them taken out?
It depends entirely on how they are growing and progressing; if they have enough space and grow straight, they can stay, but if your mouth is small and susceptible to crowding, we will recommend removing them. For teenagers who need braces, when extra space is usually required, we do recommend removing them.
If my wisdom teeth are flaring up, how can I soothe them?
Even if you don’t need them removed, we still recommend taking special care of wisdom teeth, as they are difficult to get to and clean: You have to spend time cleaning them very well, flossing, making sure there is no inflammation around them, no decay and no food stuck.
Most of the time the pain is due to food or plaque gathering around the wisdom teeth that causes the gum to swell. A good cleaning will hopefully reduce this swelling and the pain.
So floss, floss, floss?
Yep! Whether it’s because of your wisdom teeth or not, always floss! Be sure to go below the gum line. Sometimes it hurts, which is why people tend to leave wisdom teeth or flossing entirely, but it will get less sensitive the more you clean. Even if it bleeds a little bit at first, it’s fine.
Dr. Audrey Pelletan has been with Beijing United for just under two years, having previously practiced in her native France and New Caledonia, as well as performing short-term volunteer work in Peru and Cambodia. She provides comprehensive dental care and treatments for all types of dental diseases, as well preventive pediatric dental medicine. To schedule consultation with Dr. Pelletan or any of BJU’s experienced dentists, contact our 24hr appointment hotline on (010) 4008-919191.
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