Irish people need to pay more attention to their dental health, especially given Government cutbacks which have led to fewer people attending dentists, the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has said.

"Now that the excesses of Christmas and the New Year are behind us and everyone is getting back to work and school, it's a good time to examine how we care for our teeth. Preventative dental care is important for people of all ages, particularly young people, and is the key to long-term dental health," explained IDA president, Dr Billy Davis.

He said that this was now ‘more important than ever' given the cuts made by the Government to the PRSI scheme last year, as well as the ‘virtual destruction' of the medical card dental scheme.

Last year, medical card holders had cover for non-emergency dental care removed, while the PRSI dental benefit scheme was reduced to only cover the cost of an annual check-up. This means that subsidies for other treatments, such as fillings and extractions, have been removed. This led to a huge drop in treatments under the PRSI scheme last year.

Dr Davis said that people need to take action now - this will help ensure healthy teeth, which will also save money in the long run.

He pointed out that people need to change their dental habits.

"I know from my own practice and from talking to other dentists that people get a little too attached to their toothbrushes. I had one patient who changed his toothbrush annually. You need to change your brush every three months. Not enough Irish people floss on a daily basis and this also needs to change. Patients should also commit to visiting their local dentist regularly," he explained.

The IDA offers the following 10 tips and urges the public to follow them:

1. For consistent cleaning, brush your teeth and gums at the same time every day, e.g. after breakfast and before going to bed. Supervise children under seven.
2. Only use the recommended amount of toothpaste and ensure all teeth and gums are cleaned thoroughly. You can use different sized inter-dental brushes to clean plaque from inaccessible areas.
3. Make a special effort to quit smoking. Smoking is a major cause of preventable death and oral problems include bad breath, stained teeth, tooth loss and oral cancer. Your dentist can advise.
4. Change your toothbrush every three months and make sure to floss at least once a day.
5. Take time to read the sugar content of your food and drink and reduce intake of high sugar content foods. Keep snacks between meals to low-sugar or sugar-free foods.
6. Remember there is a relationship between oral health and general health and ask your dentist if a visit to your medical practitioner is appropriate.
7. Make a resolution to visit your dentist regularly so that small problems can be resolved before they become bigger, more complicated and expensive.
8. If you decide to whiten your teeth, make sure to discuss with your dentist who can ensure safe and professional teeth whitening under the care of a qualified dental practitioner.
9. Arrange preventative fissure sealants for children reaching the age of six or seven as directed by your dentist. Follow-up at six or twelve month intervals.
10. If you notice ulcers or lumps in your mouth or neck persisting for more than a week, arrange to have an oral cancer screening appointment with your dentist.