The Top Dental Habits You Can Easily Change

Good oral hygiene works for you by keeping your mouth free from plaque and tartar. As prevention is better than cure, it’s vital that your dental hygiene routine is consistent and that your dental habits are on track.

There are various ways to improve your dental hygiene, but in this blog, we’ll be addressing some of the common dental habits and how you can easily change your routine to improve your dental hygiene.

Water Consumption

It’s recommended that we consume eight glasses of water each day to keep us hydrated, which is a key part of getting a balanced diet.

Not only does your skin and overall health benefit from drinking enough water each day, but it can also strengthen your teeth and keep your mouth clean. It’s also a much better alternative than sugary and carbonated drinks and can prevent dehydration and reduce the risks of other health conditions.

Drinking sufficient water can also rid the mouth of the acids from plaque and food, with water diluting these acids to protect the teeth.

Sugar Consumption

While sugar is fine in moderation, overconsumption of sugary foods and drinks can result in the production of acid that dissolves your enamel slowly, creating cavities in your teeth and even tooth decay.

Making a simple change to reducing your sugar consumption can massively help in protecting your teeth. For a sweet fix, you can swap out chocolate for apples that are high in fibre and are naturally cleaning!

Missing Areas When Brushing

A habit many patients have is missing out on important areas when brushing. Don’t forget to brush your tongue and all surfaces of the teeth, including the outer, inner and chewing surfaces.

Brushing your tongue can remove plaque buildup and prevent bad breath. Additionally, brushing all surfaces of your teeth can rid your teeth of bacteria and debris that build up throughout the day.

To ensure you brush correctly, hold your brush at a 45-degree angle and gently move it back and forth in short strokes. You should brush twice a day for two minutes each time. Most electric toothbrushes feature a built-in timer that vibrates/flashes after two minutes, or you can set a timer if you do not have this function. 

Don’t forget to brush all surfaces of your teeth, including your tongue.

Changing Your Toothbrush

A habit that many patients get into, is forgetting to change their toothbrush (or toothbrush head) on a regular basis. As one of the most bacteria-ridden locations in your home, the bathroom is filled with microorganisms that typically live beyond your toilet. This may surprise you, but even your toothbrush holder is thought to be the third most bacteria-ridden item in your home!

It’s advised to change your toothbrush (or toothbrush head) every three months and sooner if you notice the bristles becoming frayed or worn out. Also, if you have recently been ill (even with a common cold or COVID) you should change your toothbrush as soon as possible. Otherwise, this bacteria can linger.

Late-Night Snacking

Brushing your teeth before bed is important in clearing bacteria, plaque and debris that have built up in the mouth throughout the day. 

However, if you tend to snack after brushing your teeth, you’re allowing food particles and sugar to remain on your teeth while you sleep. Instead, avoid snacking after brushing your teeth, and brush again if you do have a quick bite to eat. 

Missing Out Important Steps

Flossing and using mouthwash are important steps in your daily dental routine. However, these are often missed, with many patients thinking that brushing twice a day is enough. 

While flossing removes the buildup of plaque and reaches areas your toothbrush cannot, mouthwash can prevent cavities and kill germs, all while freshening your breath. Get into the habit of remembering to floss and rinse with mouthwash, every day.

Dental Visits

Dental visits are often delayed, especially with patients that do not experience any worrying symptoms. With that being said, many patients will still not visit the dentist, even when experiencing excruciating pain – often putting off their visit due to dental anxiety.

You should ideally be visiting your dentist every six months, as a good rule of thumb. This is the standard frequency for most of our patients, and we may ask you to visit more regularly if we have any concerns.

As well as visiting the dentist for routine check-ups, you should also be having your teeth professionally cleaned on a regular basis to improve your oral health. During a dental hygienist appointment, your hygienist will check over your teeth and gums before professionally cleaning your teeth.

How Can We Help?

At Perfect Smile Spa, we recognise how important a smile is to our patients and we pride ourselves on giving our patients the most pleasant dental experience to enable them to overcome any fears and maintain their teeth for the rest of their lives.

For more information on our dental treatments, please get in touch with us or call us on 01708 442 114.