We all know the basics of oral hygiene; brush ‘em, floss ‘em and cut back on the sugar. But, good oral hygiene can require a little bit more than just keeping up with the basics. We could all benefit from taking a more considerate approach to our oral health and today could be your day to start.
When brushing their teeth, a lot of people think that the more vigorously you scrub, the harder you press down on the brush and the stiffer the bristles of your brush are, the cleaner your teeth will be. Needless to say, any and all of these things are not great for your teeth. While your teeth might feel polished and smooth at the end of your brushing routine, you are potentially scrubbing away the enamel of your teeth – the hard outer surface that protects your teeth – and causing your gums to recede. The same thing can happen if you brush your teeth too often and this can cause the roots of your teeth to become exposed. Thinned enamel can result in sensitivity, causing you to feel pain with your teeth come in contact with foods that are too cold or hot, and they can even cause your teeth to look yellow. The inner layer of your teeth is a slightly yellowish colour and darkens over time and when your enamel thins it causes this inner, yellowy layer to show through.
In order to prevent causing damage to your teeth and gums, you need to take a softer approach to cleaning your teeth. Use a soft bristled brush to avoid damaging your enamel. While you might not feel like your teeth are being cleaned when using a soft brush, they are and as you get used to using a softer brush you will realised the benefits. You should also be gentler when brushing your teeth and instead of trying to brush vigorously, try to brush more thoughtfully and accurately clean all of the nooks and gaps where bacteria can collect.
You can also improve your oral health by regularly seeing your dentist. For some people, this may seem like an obvious statement, but there are many people that have yet to realise the importance of seeing your dentist on a regular basis. You should be seeing your dentist every six months or so and older people or people with particularly poor oral health should visit every three months. Take your time to find a good quality dentist and don’t just settle with the one that you have if you are unsatisfied with your treatment.
A good quality dentist will be able to recognise threats to your oral health early and offer solutions. They can also give you oral health advice and help you cut down on bad habits that may be affecting your oral health, like smoking. If you’re looking to get more thorough dental treatment, especially in terms of cosmetic dentistry, you may even consider a private London dentist like Smile Cliniq. In order to get the sort of smile that you want, you may need to invest more into your treatment, but for anyone with malocclusion (improper bite) or severely stained teeth, a private dental practice could be a life changing solution.