How Do You Love Your Teeth?

This year, the Australian Dental Association is raising awareness about oral health by encouraging people of all ages and stages of life to ‘love their teeth’. As your partner in oral health, we want to do our part to make sure you’re showing your teeth the love they deserve.

But aside from brushing and flossing every day, what else can be done to benefit your mouth and teeth?

A number of things! Here are some more ideas for showing your teeth some love.

1. Use the right kind of toothbrush. So many bristle options, so little time! We recommend using a soft bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth. Electric toothbrushes tend to offer a better clean, and most have a timer feature which ensures you brush for long enough. However, a traditional manual brush will work just fine. Hard bristle brushes can cause gum irritation, as well as be too rough on your teeth.
2. Stay hydrated. Did you know that if you’re dehydrated, your mouth won’t create the necessary saliva needed to help rinse away debris left behind from eating or drinking?
3. Choose an alcohol free mouth rinse. That’s because rinses that contain alcohol can be drying, making saliva production difficult.
4. Give your teeth a bath after eating sweets. A nice warm bath is great for your body, so why not your teeth? By this, we mean rinse your mouth with a sip of water. This will help get rid of plaque causing bacteria after eating so that it doesn’t linger around and attach to your teeth.
5. Do you ever notice that you clench your teeth during the day or even at night? Maybe we’ve even told you at regular checkups that your teeth show signs of grinding. If that’s the case, reducing stress or tension in your life may have a profound effect on jaw pain and nighttime grinding. You can also try to gently massage your cheeks and jaw muscles before bed.

Is there something else you do to take care of your mouth? We’d love to hear it! Share it with us in the comments below. If it’s been a while since we’ve seen you in the practice for a checkup, consider booking a visit with us. We can’t wait to see you again.