There are certain top tips from the professionals you’ll be missing out on if you haven’t seen your NHs dentist in a while. In the interim, while you book your next dentist appointment, here are our tips for the best dental hygiene and dental health for you to practice at home.

Perfect your tooth brushing technique

Are you brushing your teeth twice a day? You should be, and if you are then that’s great! But are you brushing correctly? Brushing your teeth with a lot of force and pressure doesn’t necessarily mean this is the best clean. You don’t need to scrub away too aggressively for a deeper clean, because you’re more than likely going to be irritating soft tissues in your mouth like your gums. Brush your teeth at a 45-degree angle and use short back and forth strokes that aren’t too hard. If you’re noticing the bristles on your toothbrush turning outwards sooner than you realised, then this is a sign you’re brushing too hard. Remember to rotate the brush round to the backs of your teeth too, as these surfaces are often neglected.

Don’t forget to floss!

Flossing is one of the most neglected at-home dental hygiene tips there is. It’s just as important as brushing, and nearly every adult in the UK is experiencing some form of gum disease in one severity or another. Flossing helps to prevent gum disease, which is a leading cause in adult tooth loss, so maintaining healthy gums could also help you maintain your teeth! Remove food debris and plaque once a day before bed by remembering to floss.

Don’t miss out on mouthwash

Mouthwash leaves your breath minty fresh, but this NHS dentist in York wants you to know that it also has dental health benefits. Using an antiseptic mouthwash helps to kill the bad bacteria in your mouth and the enthusiastic swilling and rinsing of mouthwash also helps to shake loose any remaining food particles. It’s almost likened to a slight liquid exfoliation for your teeth.

Cut back on acidic and sugary drinks

Acidic and sugary drinks like white wine and high-sugar fizzy pop could be harming your teeth more than you know. White wine contains a lot of acid and this is a drink that we’d constantly sip at when we’re at dinner or parties. Little yet constant sips of white wine increase your teeth’s exposure to the acids, and these sit on your teeth and work to erode your protective enamel. This is the same with the sugar in carbonated drinks like lemonade and cola, the sugar content in them being extremely high which, when left on your teeth, invites bacteria to eat away at the enamel.

Cut back on smoking

Your NHS dentist wants you to know how harmful smoking is to your teeth, gums, and breath. Smoking can begin the onset of tooth loss because of how it inhibits the healing of your gums. It also triggers changes in your mouth, making it easier for increased levels of plaque and tartar to build up, which will need to be professionally removed before it worsens the condition of your gums and teeth. Lessening how much you smoke and even quitting smoking altogether could greatly benefit your dental and physical health.

Visit your NHS dentist in York

One of the best care tips we can offer you is to visit your NHS dentist 2-3 times a year. At your appointment, we can give you all of this advice and more that is tailored to your specific lifestyle and patient needs. We can also spot the warning signs of conditions that appear to be developing and prevent and treat them. Thinking of your next dentist appointment now? Visit Blossom Dental Care to receive our expert care. Enquire online or get in touch on 01904 654889 today!