A NEW year calls for routine resets to feel your best, and when it comes to oral health, small, considered habits can have a surprisingly big impact on overall well-being. Here, dentist and Spotlight Oral Care co-founder Dr. Vanessa Creaven shares her expert tips for keeping your smile healthy, fresh, and white as part of a wellness-led approach to the year ahead.
Tip 1: Brush with a Sonic Toothbrush
Sonic toothbrushes, also known as electric toothbrushes, are proven to be a smarter way to brush your teeth, causing less recession and trauma to the gums. Dentists agree that, overall, electric toothbrushes are superior to manual ones, because electric brushes have a rotation, they essentially force the toothpaste in more difficult-to-reach areas, which is where cavities start.
Using a Sonic toothbrush can be much smoother on gums, causing less erosion on your teeth. It also causes less trauma to your teeth or gums, by getting more action out of your toothpaste from between each tooth and the gum line. The teeth generally appear shinier, more polished, and less stained when it comes to using the Sonic, and that’s purely down to the sonic vibration.
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Tip 2: Use a fluoride toothpaste
You should brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for about 2 minutes, as fluoride contains active ingredients that help reduce oral diseases, including decay and gum disease. A pea-sized amount of toothpaste is sufficient for brushing; however, efficient, high-frequency brush movements are needed to ensure that both the toothpaste and oxygen are delivered to even the most inaccessible places. It is important to brush for 2 minutes, twice a day, with a Fluoride toothpaste to prevent tooth decay.
Tip 3: Make sure to floss daily
Flossing is something that some of our patients think is a bit of a myth, but in fact, it’s just as important as brushing! Brushing your teeth is only half the battle to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Flossing once a day is a great way to remove plaque and food buildup in those hard-to-reach places. We would go as far as to say flossing is more important than mouthwash. Using a Water Flosser is ideal for those hard to reach places or for patients who have braces or those who struggle with traditional string floss.
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Tip 4: Use mouthwash after meals, rather than brushing
We don’t recommend using your mouthwash straight after brushing, as it will rinse away the concentrated fluoride in the toothpaste left on your teeth. Instead, if you do want to incorporate mouthwash into your routine, use it twice a day and directly after a meal.
Tip 5: Don’t ditch the dentist
90% of oral health is dependent on what is done at home, as opposed to while sitting in the dentist’s chair which is why prevention is so important. We’d recommend visiting your hygienist every 6 months and your dentist once a year at minimum to maintain good oral care.
by Felicity Carter