The New Year is a fantastic time to commit to making positive changes in your life. Your oral health is an important part of your overall wellness, and the New Year is a great time to create resolutions for improving your oral health for both adults and children.
Dr Lisa and Dr Vanessa Creaven, dentists and founders of Spotlight Oral Care have provided 10 expert tips to help improve your oral care in 2023.
1. Brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes
Brushing is the only effective way to reduce plaque build-up and maintain a healthy, beautiful smile. We recommend brushing your teeth and gums for two minutes twice a day, even if your teeth feel clean after one! We suggest the first thing in the morning (before breakfast!) and last thing at night, once you’ve finished all your snacks!
2. Don’t rinse your mouth with water after brushing
One of the most common misconceptions we see as a dentist is patients rinsing their mouth with water once they’ve finished brushing. But actually what you’re doing is washing away all those key active ingredients that you want to absorb from your toothpaste. So try not to rinse after you spit!
3. Don’t forget to brush your tongue
Bacteria love to grow and build up here! Did you know that the bacteria on your tongue is the number one cause of bad breath? Mouthwash can be used throughout the day to freshen up your breath on the go! But if bacteria is alive on the tongue it needs to go to avoid tooth decay!
4. Choose a toothpaste that contains active ingredients
Did you know that the lining of your mouth is 50 times more absorbent than your skin? Anything that goes into your mouth is directly absorbed into your bloodstream without passing through your stomach and metabolic pathways which act to reduce exposure to toxic ingredients.
What goes in your mouth matters! Which is why it’s so important to choose products that are not only free from nasties but that also target your own individual needs. All of our toothpastes contain the key active ingredient fluoride, which should be an essential part of your everyday oral health.
5. Try not to snack too often
There are a lot of messages telling people to eat very regularly and while that may be good (or bad!) for your metabolism it certainly affects your teeth. People often snack on fruit juices and vegetable juices which people eat/drink as a “healthy” alternative! This can often lead to more sugar exposure which, in turn, leads to a higher risk of decay.
Did you know that eating too often is actually what causes decay? It is essentially the frequency of eating rather than what you eat that causes decay which is why we advise patients not to snack too often!
6. Floss daily
Flossing daily should be part of your morning/evening ritual and a step you should never skip! Flossing daily helps to dislodge debris between teeth and helps alleviate bleeding and inflamed gums.
7. Switch to a Sonic Toothbrush
Switching from a manual to a sonic brush means all the work is essentially done for you! Our Spotlight Oral Care Sonic Toothbrush uses professionally designed sonic technology which allows the gentle feel of a manual toothbrush with an actual deep clean effect.
8. Visit the dentist regularly
You should visit your dentist for a dental exam at least every six months. Dental check-ups are just as important as any other health care check-ups and screenings. Remember if you are an anxious patient, don’t let this stand in your way of visiting your dentist, they are here to help you not hurt you!
Many dental issues are treatable and can be avoided if they are caught at an early stage. Dentists can identify problems quickly and prevent them from becoming more serious too – so book your check-up today.
9. Be wary of whitening treatments
Have you ever heard of a dentist recommending charcoal or baking soda to whiten your teeth? No, of course not! Try to avoid using anything gritty that sticks to your teeth like baking soda or charcoal – yes, they can remove stains, but these are abrasive, meaning that they act like sandpaper and damage the tooth’s enamel in the process.
10. Avoid Smoking
Not only does smoking give you yellow teeth and make you more prone to gum disease and inflammation, it’s also the number one cause of oral cancer. If you’re a smoker, it can be hard to give up, but if you are looking to improve your oral health then it’s best to kick the habit! Speak with your dentist and he/she will provide you with plenty of advice and support. Smoking is more harmful to teeth than not brushing at all!