Brush Up On Your Dental Habits

We’re told to brush at least three times a day, but in actual fact, many of us barely reach half that if we analyse the way look after our nashers.

With the ever decreasing hours in our stress-filled day, brushing our teeth doesn’t come anywhere near the list of things we have to get done before we hit the hay.

One in the morning is enough for some, twice for others if you get one in before bed or none at all if you prefer to live on chewing gum. No one can even remember what flossing is!

It doesn’t matter how long you brush for, what toothpaste you’re using or how much you’ve paid for your brush, if you’re not brushing the right way then your teeth are as doomed as the titanic. To prevent those pearly-whites looking like broken icebergs, here are a few tips to ensure your oral hygiene stays in tip-top condition.

Watch what you’re doing

Make sure you look at where you’re brushing next time you take to the bathroom sink. If you’re not aiming for the gum line, the area with the highest risk of plaque and tartar build up, then you could risk your gums becoming inflamed and even see them start to bleed. Make sure you reach the back of your mouth too; large chunks of food hide in the shadow of your molars!

Work on your technique

Brushing side-to-side can actually have a negative impact on the strength of your teeth. Enamel coats the surface of our teeth, protecting them from any unwanted germs and infections. But if you brush side-to-side instead of up and down, you can weaken the tightly-packed, glass-like rods that enamel is made off. If these break, it can lead to cracks appearing in your teeth!

Whoa Boy

Slow down! Enamel breakage greatly increases when you brush hard. Combine this with habits such as grinding your teeth and clenching, these can cause tears in the gum line that will weaken the tooth and the deeper layers in your mouth.

Using the right brush

Hard bristles on your brush will increase gum damage and can even chip away layers of tooth. Make sure you use a brush with soft bristles and a flexible head, allowing greater control within your mouth. Always remember to replace your toothbrush every three months, as they can be a haven for diseases like strep and staph!

Using the wrong toothpaste

When it comes to toothpaste, your teeth are facing a trade-off. If you use paste containing baking soda, it will be good at getting out food stains. However baking soda is also tough on enamel, so you’re going to have to choose what you want most. On a lighter note, teeth-whitening tooth paste won’t harm your teeth or gums.

Flossing

Long forgotten and rarely missed, flossing can be the difference between a minty mouth and bad breath. You should always floss after brushing your teeth, as it removes all the food that brushing has missed. Ever woke up with a smelly breath? Give flossing a try and see how it helps!

This post has been written on behalf of Nuffield Health Careers