Love your Mouth - Dental Health Tips

A new survey of 10, 000 UK adults has revealed that thousands of people admit to not brushing their teeth at night! Seriously?! I am a bit shocked by this revelation...even if I am exhaustedly crawling up the stairs to bed I'll still throw a toothbrush around my mouth. But 45% of those asked by GSK as part of its Love Your Mouth campaign say they have not brushed their teeth at night due to tiredness, laziness or forgetfulness. 

Failing to have your evening brush can increase the chances of suffering from cavities, gum disease or tooth loss. Spending just 2 minutes twice a day brushing and an extra couple of minutes flossing helps prevent the build up of plaque that can lead to tooth decay.

Of those who do brush, 18% said they use only water and no toothpaste and 14% use a finger instead of a toothbrush. Again this seems a bit potentially damaging when there are a range of excellent toothpastes containing active ingredients and soft bristled brushes on the market, which do the job so well.

With 67% of respondents admitting to having fillings and 44% saying they know that they could take better care of their teeth, it is definitely worth reassessing your oral health and learn to love your mouth!

Here are ten tips to help improve your dental hygiene routine:

1: Brush twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time. Wait for 40 minutes after eating to avoid damaging enamel, which is temporarily softened by acidic food and drinks.

2: Use a suitable toothpaste. Whether you have sensitive teeth, stained teeth or have bleeding gums there is a toothpaste that has a formula suitable for your oral health.

3: Use floss or interdental cleaning aids. The gaps between your teeth trap food, which can cause decay or inflammation over time.

4: Use mouthwash to help rinse away food particles, deter bad breath and reduce levels of bacteria in the mouth. Do it at a different time to brushing to maximise your daily oral hygiene.

5: Spit, don't rinse. Water will wash away the fluoride from the toothpaste.

6: Use disclosing tablets occasionally to check how well you are cleaning your teeth.

7: A small headed, soft bristled toothbrush is best for effective teeth cleaning.

8: Prevention is the key when it comes to oral hygiene procedures. Ask a dentist for advice.

9: Make brushing part of your morning and bedtime routines and instill the importance of good oral hygiene to every member of the family.

10: Visit the dentist for regular professional cleaning and check-ups. Issues can be sorted out quickly and easily if caught early.

Visit the Love Your Mouth Challenge at LoveYourMouth.co.uk and find out how to improve your dental health and get suggestions for suitable GSK dental products (which are available to buy in stores such as Tesco and Superdrug.)

I took the challenge and was recommended Corsodyl Daily mouthwash as I occasionally get bleeding gums after brushing.  It offers everyday gum protection and has a clinically proven dual action formula. Fluoride strengthens teeth and prevents cavities, while gums are protected by the removal of plaque and given a 12 hour protective shield. It has a pleasant minty taste that leaves the mouth feeling fresh.  I was also recommended Sensodyne Repair and Protect as I suffer from tooth sensitivity. It offers daily relief from the discomfort of sensitivity while patented Novamin technology helps repair damage where dentine is exposed. Together, they are a good combination, helping to keep my teeth and gums healthy!

Love Your Gums with Oral B

Gum disease is one of the biggest causes of tooth loss and more than 1 in 2 women will develop gum problems during pregnancy due to the hormones.  I remember having bleeding gums during pregnancy every time I brushed my teeth. Thankfully no damage was done to my teeth.  

It is really important that we take care of both our gums and our teeth to ensure that we don't lose confidence in our smiles.

We were sent some Oral-B Pro-Expert Premium Gum Protection Toothpaste to try, so we can take part in the #ORALBLoveYourGumsChallenge.  It claims to reduce and prevent gum problems and address the causes of gum disease in just four weeks.  We have been using it instead of our usual brand.

The flavour is mildly minty with a slightly medicated taste. It has quite a dense texture, but creates a nice cleansing foam in the mouth. It really does make my teeth feel clean and fresh and knowing that it is protecting my gums is a real bonus.

My Top Tips for  Healthy Teeth and Gums

Download an app to encourage the kids to brush their teeth.  The Aquafresh app features a 2 minute timer alongside games to make dental hygiene fun.

Let little ones pick out their own age appropriate toothbrush and toothpaste from the shops to give them ownership of cleaning their teeth.

Use a good toothpaste like Oral B Pro-Expert and a good mouthwash.  Make sure your toothbrush is in good condition.  Chewing gum after meals can also help keep teeth and gums clean.

Floss picks are much easier to manage than using a long length of stringy floss.  I was always getting little strings of floss stuck between my teeth, which I then had to try to remove with tweezers!  It totally defeated the object of flossing.  With the floss picks I've not had any problems.  I am going to look into the water flossers which sound slightly scary but are meant to be very effective at cleaning between the teeth.

Avoid damaging gums by using a soft bristled toothbrush.  I've got some receded gums due to over zealous brushing in my teens.  They are very sensitive but smearing sensitive toothpaste on the exposed part of my tooth relieves the pain!

Tongue health is very important. I always brush my tongue to remove bacteria when cleaning my teeth. Some brushes have the special tongue-cleaning surface on the back, but I just use my brush as part of cleaning my teeth.

Drinking water is good for so many reasons including dental health.

In the past I've encouraged my reluctant teen to brush his teeth by reminding him that if he didn't look after his teeth he'd end up like his great grandma with false teeth!  Now my son is 25 and responsible for his own dentist bills, his dental hygiene has improved!  Funny that!!

Thankfully I have no fillings but I do have overcrowded teeth.  My dentist tries to persuade me to get a brace fitted but at 44 I think I've lived with my wonky canines long enough, and couldn't justify the expense.  I would rather just make sure that my kids regularly visit the dentist and address any dental issues they have. Thankfully, they seem to have inherited what my husband calls my 'granite enamel' so hopefully that will stand them in good stead!  Encouraging children to have a good dental regime and helping them to keep their teeth clean and healthy, goes a really long way in making them look and feel their best and gives them confidence in their smiles.

 “This post is an entry for BritMums’ #ORALBLoveYourGums Challenge  sponsored by Oral-B, promoting healthy gums – something especially important for pregnant women. Get tips and advice on www.oralb-loveyourgums.com.”