New Year, New Habits: Tips to enhance your oral hygiene routine
A new year brings with it new hope, optimism, and motivation to improve; after 2021 we could all use some of that. Many people choose to focus on their health at this time of year, aiming to exercise or partake in a specific diet, but if you are not focusing on your oral health too, you could be missing out on an important part of your wellbeing. Fortunately, there are many dental health tips that can help enhance your oral care routine in the new year, a few of these will be explored below.
•Refresh your technique
Most people are well aware that brushing should be done twice daily, but what they fail to do is to pay attention to their brushing technique. Like any activity carried out daily, brushing has probably become automatic, making it possible for our standards to slip. By implementing the wrong amount of pressure or angle, the whole cleaning procedure loses its effectiveness and potentially can cause more harm than good. The more attention you pay when brushing your teeth, the more of the teeth surface you will cover and the more effectively you can remove food and plaque from the teeth. To improve your technique, it is important to remember the following:
-Brush your teeth for two full minutes, twice a day
-Use a gentle circular motion at a 45-degree angle
-Don’t forget to brush gently along the gum line
•Embrace flossing
It is now becoming more widely known that brushing alone is not enough to remove all the plaque and food debris from in between the teeth, failing to reach around 40% of the teeth’s surface area. When left untreated, this plaque can build up and turn into hardened tartar, potentially leading to gum disease, tooth erosion or decay.
Despite this, many people still do not typically floss, often neglecting this habit as they simply cannot see any food or plaque in between their teeth. However, it is important to note that although the teeth may look clean, the harmful plaque is not always visible. In order to improve the oral hygiene routine, flossing needs to be considered as equally important to brushing. When flossing, especially as a beginner, it is vital to pay attention to your technique to prevent any damage to the gums. The floss should gently slide in between each tooth, one at a time, all the way into the space where the tooth meets the gum line, in an up-down motion. This technique should be repeated for each tooth. You can see our collection of flosses and find out which one is right for you here.
•Change your brush regularly
Changing your toothbrush regularly is something that most of us are guilty of forgetting to do. It is recommended to swap out our old brush for a new one every three months or sooner if the bristles are no longer in a healthy, standing condition. Simply brushing your teeth twice daily may not be enough if the condition of your brush is frayed and worn and bends away from the teeth as you brush, missing crucial cleaning spots. The bristles may even become spiky and sharp, causing damage to the gums, and more easily harbouring potentially harmful bacteria.
•Remember your dentist again
The pandemic has made it more difficult to attend regular check-ups, but as 2022 hopefully sees the progressive return to normality, booking a dental appointment should be a top priority. Dental check-ups are an essential part of your oral hygiene routine. Ensuring you get professional cleaning and advice, helps to prevent any potential oral complications that you may have missed. If left untreated, complications such as decay, gum disease and infection can prove to be far more dangerous to your oral health.
By implementing these oral care tips into your new year routine, you can easily enhance your oral health and start the year with a brighter, happier smile.
