The Three Most Important Stages Of An Oral Hygiene Routine

Having a great oral hygiene routine in place is so important for your oral health. It’s often pushed to the back of people’s priority list, however you don’t realise how much of an impact a healthy mouth has on your overall confidence. So, even if you don’t have any dental concerns, making your oral health a priority is key to prolonging the life of your natural teeth. Let’s get into it and find out the three simple steps that you need to keep your smile happy and healthy.

Brushing

Everyone knows how important it is to brush their teeth, but we’re going to go into a bit of detail! Brushing for a couple of minutes without much purpose isn’t usually enough. So, start with an electric toothbrush, as you can hold it over each tooth to ensure that as much plaque as possible is removed, and the bristles target the sections where the teeth meet, whereas a normal toothbrush doesn’t do this very effectively. Change the toothbrush head every 3 months to keep them strong. Then, you need to get toothpaste containing fluoride, as this helps to strengthen the enamel in the teeth. If you’ve recently been to a cosmetic dental clinic, get in touch to ask them which toothpaste you should be using specific to your treatment.

Take your time, making sure each surface of every tooth has a chance to be cleaned by the toothbrush, which will be doing most of the work. You should also avoid brushing 30 minutes before or after eating food or having a hot drink, as your enamel will be at its weakest.

Brush twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening (make sure you know you won’t be eating anything else that evening when you brush).

Flossing

Next up, you should be flossing at least once a day. This stage is often overlooked, but it is really difficult for a toothbrush, even an electric one, to get between the teeth. So, you need to get between the teeth with floss to remove any food residue or plaque build up that generates throughout the day, naturally as a result of what we consume.

You’ll be surprised at how much you will remove from your teeth. It’s so important, as when you let food or plaque settle within the teeth, over time it can lead to really serious issues like tooth decay, gum disease and tooth loss. Flossing can also help if you have bad breath problems, as you’re keeping all of your teeth really clean. If you have uneven teeth, this is even more important, although we would recommend that you have Invisalign aligners to make it easier to remove any residue.

So, dedicate a minute each evening to flossing and you (and your dentist) will notice a big difference in your oral hygiene).

Mouthwash

Lastly, you should be using alcohol free mouthwash, to remove any final bits of bacteria. Follow the instructions on the bottle and swill around the mouth. This step can’t replace flossing or brushing, just like they can’t replace mouthwash, so having all three in your routine is so important.