The Do’s and Don’ts of healthy teeth

Of course the key to a beautiful, healthy smile is caring for your teeth on a regular basis, but how?! Unfortunately despite our best efforts, we often pick up many bad habits along the way when trying to care for your smile. We’re here to help separate the do’s from the don’ts.

DO brush your teeth correctly and thoroughly

An obvious one, however most people fall into bad habits along the years when brushing their teeth. Good brushing technique is the simplest and most vital way to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Brushing your teeth with a fluoride toothpaste twice a day helps to stop plaque, which is a film of bacteria that coats your teeth and contributes to gum disease and tooth decay, building up. Divide your mouth into 4 sections and spend 30 seconds brushing each section, is a great way to ensure you’ve cleaned every spot! Another tip is to avoid brushing too hard, as you can wear down your enamel and damage your gums.

DON’T adopt the latest social media fad

…until you’ve spoken to us. We can help separate which latest craze actually does improve your smile and which can be harmful. It usually takes years of research behind every treatment and technique we recommend, so it can be quite concerning to see some dental fads take the internet by storm with little or no scientific evidence, for example brushing your teeth with an activated charcoal toothpaste. Although it may be true that this can whiten your teeth by a few shades, new research from the British Dental Journal states that charcoal may actually increase the risk of abrasions, contributing to tooth decay. No teeth whitening products containing charcoal have been approved by the British Dental Association!

DO see us regularly, sooner rather than later

You may think your oral health is fine, especially if you don’t feel any pain or discomfort, but your dentist can see the first signs of a problem, before you notice it. We then are able to nip the problem in the bud and suggest the right form of treatment before it gets any worse. We are able to tackle early stages of gum disease by regular clean at the hygienist and improving your oral hygiene, however if gum disease is left untreated it can result in loosing and missing teeth.

DON’T use your teeth as tools

We know the drill. Your hands are full and your teeth seem like the perfect tools to open that bottle, envelope or package. Stop right there! Using your teeth in this way can chip or crack your teeth and harm your gums.

DO get your teeth whitened by a dental professional

Similarly to Internet fads like charcoal toothpaste, home whitening kits bought off the Internet may seem like the easiest and most cost effective option. However, legally they can only contain up to 0.1% hydrogen peroxide, so they’re not going to dramatically change the shade of your teeth. Professional home whitening kits and laser whitening both include a consultation with us and they will be carried out by a dental professional. You’ll see more instant results with professional kits and it doesn’t put your oral health at risk! In the UK, teeth whitening MUST to be supervised by a dentist and it’s illegal for anyone else to provide this treatment.