National Smile Month is on now until 11 June and is the perfect time to up your oral health. Here, Dental Hygienist Emma Nelson shares her top tips for a smile to be proud of.
Clean between
The single most important practice to incorporate into any oral hygiene routine is to clean between your teeth. Most tooth decay starts between the teeth, but one in three adults have never flossed or clean interdentally. A toothbrush alone cleans just 60% of the tooth, so to hit the other 40% oral hygiene products such as DenTek’s floss picks and interdental brushes are vital.
Brush twice a day
One of the most significant problems dentists see is tooth abrasion caused by brushing too hard. Teeth have layers: enamel and dentine. Brushing too hard wears down the enamel, exposing the dentine, which can lead to sensitivity and an increased risk of developing cavities. Use fluoride toothpaste and an electric toothbrush to help you control the pressure of your brushing. And, after brushing, don’t rinse the toothpaste away.
Patience is key
Wait 30 minutes after eating acidic foods before brushing. Brushing your teeth straight after eating may seem like a good idea, but actually does more harm than good. Eating changes the pH levels in the mouth, creating an acidic environment. This temporarily softens the enamel so brushing at this point wears the enamel away. Leave at least 30 minutes to allow the pH to rebalance and the enamel to harden again.
Clean your tongue
Your tongue also harbours around 60-80% of bacteria in your mouth and accounts for up to 90% of cases of bad breath. The bottom line is that if you’re not cleaning your tongue, you’re allowing bacteria to have a home in your mouth – so the cleaner you keep your tongue the better! Use a tongue cleaner, like DenTek’s Orabrush Tongue Cleaner, to brush the tongue surface after brushing your teeth.
Don’t wait until it hurts
Dentists and hygienists always recommend having regular dental check-ups every six to 12 months as they can identify potential problems and stop them from developing further. It’s not advisable to only see your dentist when something is wrong, as preventable damage could already have been done to the tooth. Early intervention allows for the best outcome.
