All bets are off over the Christmas period: most of us will give into gluttony and stop one glass of red later than is wise. Come January, we’ll give our waistlines a thought – but probably not our mouths. Yet our teeth will have taken a battering: constant grazing of sugared almonds and chocolate coins, fizzy drinks and wine galore, some more tea to wake us up again… Perhaps this is the year to make oral health a priority on your list of resolutions?
Here are four tips steps to better oral health:
- Be a dependable brusher. At our central London specialist dental practice, we tell all our patients that by brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day you give them the best chance of fending off tooth decay. An estimated 25% of adults admit to brushing only once a day, and in doing so they stand a 33% greater chance of having decay. Four minutes, that’s all it takes.
- Cut out the bad stuff… It’s not just sugar-coated sweets and pints of cola that destroy our enamel but the hidden sugar, too. Cooking sauces contain a remarkable amount of sugar, and seemingly healthy options like orange juice are also terrible culprits.
- …and chew on the good. Chewing sugar-free gum after eating encourages saliva production and the return to a normal balance. In neutralising acid sooner, you reduce the harm that acid does to the teeth.
- Don’t avoid the dental surgery. For a number of people, getting to the dentist is something that gets put off and put off again. At our specialist dental practice in London’s Harley Street, we consider health and prevention an essential foundation of any oral care. Our friendly and reassuring hygienist will spot early signs of problems and show you the best at-home regime to keep your teeth at their healthiest.
