Looking after your teeth and gums is a great resolution for 2015. If you’re eager to protect those pearly whites and prevent toothache, cavities and gum disease, here are some tips for healthy smiles in the New Year:
1. Change your toothbrush: many of us get comfortable with a toothbrush and wait for months, even years to replace it. It’s actually really important to swap your brush or the brush head (in the case of an electric toothbrush), as once the bristles start to become worn, they become less effective. Ideally, you should swap your toothbrush every 3-4 months.
2. Brush with a timer: many of us are familiar with the morning dash to get ready and this can mean that teeth cleaning suffers. This year, make it your resolution to get up a few minutes earlier to ensure you have time to devote at least 2 minutes to brushing your teeth before you leave the house. If you struggle with timing, you can buy brushes with in-built timers, use a stop-clock on your phone or simply pop a song on and brush along.
3. Floss! Many of us admit to overlooking flossing and relying soley on brushing, but flossing is really important because it cleans the areas that are prone to plaque build-up because they are hard to reach with a brush, such as the gum line and the small gaps between your teeth. If you don’t like flossing, you can also use inter-dental brushes.
4. Use fluoride toothpaste: fluoride is a mineral found naturally in drinking water and it is often added to toothpaste to strengthen and protect the enamel. We recommend fluoride toothpaste for children and adults. For children under the age of 7 years old, we recommend specific children’s toothpaste, as this contains a lower quantity of fluoride.
5. Book a dental hygiene session: many assume that you only need to see a dental hygienist if you already have issues, such as bad breath or gum disease. However, seeing a hygienist can actually be hugely beneficial for everyone, even those with excellent oral health. Hygienists provide intensive cleaning treatments that polish the teeth and remove surface stains, rid the mouth of harmful bacteria and cleanse the gums.
Tags: Dental hygienist clean Liverpool, oral hygiene, oral hygiene liverpool, toothpaste liverpool
