Brushing your teeth is just as important as getting a checkup at your local doctor and ensuring you eat a healthy and balanced diet. We all know that we should brush our teeth, but do you know how you should be doing it to maintain optimal oral health? 

If your answer is no, there’s no need to panic. Today we’re going through the ins and out of how to brush your teeth correctly, so you’re no longer playing a guessing game. 

How often should you brush your teeth?

It’s pretty common knowledge that you should brush your teeth twice per day; once in the morning and once at night. However, you can also brush after each meal. You may find that if you have orthodontics in, you might want to brush after every meal as food can commonly get stuck; even if it’s just to clean your brace with an interdental brush

How long should you brush your teeth?

The recommended time is at least 2 minutes. We recommend sectioning your mouth into four quarters and brushing each quarter in detail for thirty seconds. Make sure to pay attention to each individual tooth. If you have an electric toothbrush, it’ll automatically time a 2-minute brush for you which is separated into 30-second intervals.

Should you brush your teeth before or after breakfast?

This is a difficult one as some people prefer to brush their teeth as soon as they wake. However, if you’ve ever eaten food immediately after brushing, it usually tastes pretty bad. This is actually because your sweet food receptors are usually inhibited for 30 minutes after brushing.

If you choose to brush your teeth after breakfast though, you should wait at least 30 minutes. This is because some food can be acidic which weakens your tooth enamel. If you then decide to brush straight after, you could be brushing away your enamel. 

Generally speaking, dental professionals recommend brushing before breakfast because overnight the bacteria in your mouth can multiply rapidly. There’s also been a study that suggests that brushing your teeth first thing in the morning boosts your saliva production which we know is a contributing factor to increased oral health.  

What happens if you don’t brush your teeth?

Over the course of the day, a film of bacteria, called plaque, builds up on your teeth which, if left, can cause your tooth enamel to weaken and will eventually cause cavities and tooth decay. When you brush your teeth you’re not only removing this plaque buildup, you’re also protecting your mouth for up to 12 hours; especially if you’re using the right toothpaste. 

Are electric toothbrushes better?

If you’ve ever used an electric toothbrush, you may have felt that your mouth feels a lot cleaner. This is because these brushes can spin far faster than you’d ever be able to achieve manually. They also often come with pressure sensors so you can avoid overbrushing. They also encourage you to brush for the full two minutes thanks to built-in timers. Because of these reasons, we recommend using electric toothbrushes. 

How often should you change your toothbrush? 

Colgate recommends that you should change your toothbrush once every three to four months. This also applied to electric toothbrushes too where you can just switch out the head. However, there are other times where you should change your toothbrush earlier. For example, if you’re sick, you should change your toothbrush as there could be leftover bacteria on the brush from the sickness. Also, if the brush is looking a little worse for wear sooner than three months, you should consider changing. You should note though, that if you’re going through toothbrushes fast, you may be brushing too hard. 

What’s the best toothpaste to use?

This can entirely depend on your personal needs and is something you should chat to your dentist about. There are specific kinds of toothpaste designed for sensitivity, whitening, gum disease, smokers and more. 

As long as the toothpaste contains fluoride though, you should be good to go. Additionally, ingredients such as baking soda, Zinc Citrate, Triclosan or Sodium Pyrophosphate are all proven to prevent the buildup of plaque for as long as 12 hours. 

Why are my teeth yellow when I brush them every day?

This could be due to several reasons and we recommend discussing it with your dentist. However, most commonly, your diet and lifestyle could be affecting the yellowness of your teeth. Drinks like tea, coffee and red wine can stain your teeth quite badly as can smoking. Some people also just have naturally yellower teeth. The dentin inside your teeth is a specific colour and some people’s are whiter than others. If you have fairly white dentin, teeth whitening would work for you, if not, you might want to consider procedures like getting veneers to get a celebrity smile. 

Can you brush your teeth too much?

Generally, no, you can’t really brush your teeth too often, however, you can overbrush. By this, we mean that you can brush too aggressively. You can also brush too soon after eating which can weaken your enamel and cause you problems in the long run. 

Why do my gums bleed when I brush my teeth?

This, unfortunately, could be the early signs of gum disease presenting itself. However, it could just be that you have a lot of plaque buildup and your gums have become inflamed and sensitive. If you experience bleeding gums when brushing, we recommend reaching out to your dentist. It could be fixed by a thorough hygienist appointment, however further treatment may be required to avoid further damage. 

How to brush your teeth when you have braces?

Brushing your teeth when you have braces can be difficult, especially because food can get trapped in them and cause issues. Alongside this, if you’ve just had them tightened, you can experience increased tooth sensitivity. 

It’s best to rinse your mouth before brushing when you have braces, this can help to remove any larger particles of food. 

Then, you brush the top area of the teeth near the gumline. You may need to use a special type of brush that’s designed for those with braces. 

Next up, it’s time to clean the brackets, brush on top of the brackets using a downward angle. 

Finally, go underneath the brackets/wire and brush at an upward angle. Be sure to thoroughly clean all your teeth. 

We also recommend using interdental brushes to clean between your braces and remove any food that may be caught in there. 

When it comes to flossing, you may benefit more from a water flosser while you have braces as it’s much easier to use. 

When to start brushing baby teeth

You should start to brush baby teeth as soon as they get their first tooth; this usually happens when they’re around six months. Like with adult brushing, you should brush for 2 minutes using fluoride-based toothpaste. 

We hope this post helped answer all your questions about brushing, however, if you have any more questions, feel free to ask us below or reach out to us via our contact form. By following these guidelines, you can be sure that your teeth will remain healthy and strong for years to come.

Today we’re answering the question on everyone’s minds when it comes to their oral health. 

How do I keep my teeth white? 

We’ll be sharing our favourite tips and tricks as well as how to maintain your brighter, whiter smile. 

How to keep teeth white after whitening treatment?

Firstly, we’re going to start off by sharing what you can do to maintain your smile after you’ve had a whitening treatment. After all, you’ll have invested a pretty penny and want to ensure you see the maximum results right? 

You’ll essentially need to consider making a few lifestyle changes. Drink less coffee, avoid smoking, and think about switching out that cheeky glass of red for a glass of white. 

One thing you might not know about is that you should steer clear of the whitening toothpaste. It sounds counterintuitive but whitening toothpaste can sometimes lead to enamel erosion which, after whitening treatment can be very detrimental. 

How long do your teeth stay white after whitening?

Teeth whitening is definitely not a permanent procedure and results can vary. Results can last from as little as a few months all the way to several years. It’s subjective and depends on external factors such as what food and drink you consume daily, whether you’re meticulous with your dental health routine and also if you just have naturally yellower teeth or not. Of course, if you’re a coffee addict, your results won’t last as long as someone who solely drinks water. 

How to keep your teeth white when drinking coffee?

We all love a good cup of joe, but it can wreak havoc with our teeth. So how can we avoid it from staining our teeth as much?

Firstly, we recommend completely avoiding coffee for 24-48 hours after a whitening treatment as your teeth can be more porous during this period. 

One great tip, albeit a little strange, is to enjoy your cuppa through a straw. You can get away with this more if you’re enjoying an iced caffeinated beverage, but you might get a few looks if not. When you drink through a straw though, the liquid isn’t coming into contact with the front of your teeth. 

Also, you can avoid drinking your coffee black. This way the colour is lightened and you’re also getting some calcium from the milk or cream which is proven to help keep your teeth and bones healthy. 

You can also rinse your mouth out after drinking coffee to ensure the stains don’t set in. 

Finally, whitening toothpaste can also help to curb the stains as they usually have an abrasive in them to help remove surface-level staining. 

How to keep your teeth white when smoking? 

Whilst we don’t recommend smoking due to the myriad of health complications it can cause, we do recognize you can’t just quit like that. Tobacco is notorious for staining your teeth so we recommend brushing your teeth with a hard-bristled brush and using a toothpaste that’s designed for smokers such as Clinomyn. If you can’t get a hold of a smoker’s toothpaste, then you might want to consider using a whitening one instead to help treat some of the stains. Additionally rinsing your mouth out with a whitening mouthwash can also help to reduce the effects of smoking on the teeth. 

How to keep your teeth white when drinking wine? 

Red wine is known to stain your teeth pretty quickly and while you’re drinking it you’ll probably be able to see the thin layer of stain lining your teeth. 

The best option to keep your teeth whiter would be to ditch the red and switch to a white wine instead. However, there are some other options if you want to enjoy your favourite tipple from time to time. 

You could, once again, use a straw, though many might consider that sacrilege. A more socially acceptable option (especially if you’re in a restaurant) is to drink a glass of sparkling water in between each glass to lessen the staining. 

Whatever you do, don’t brush your teeth immediately after drinking red wine as this could damage your tooth enamel, specifically if the wine is sweeter or more acidic. 

How to keep your teeth white while wearing braces?

Braces are fixed to your teeth which means maintaining a white smile can be difficult. Nevertheless, you do have options. First of all, you need to stay on top of your oral healthcare routine and ensure you’re brushing night and day, preferably with a special brush designed for use with braces. Use interdental brushes to ensure there’s no trapped food in the braces and use special orthodontic flossers. Steer clear of whitening toothpaste as it can damage the brace itself.

You can even consider professional whitening treatment, though we find it’s best to leave this until after your treatment is completed.

We hope this has helped you to maintain your whiter, brighter smile for longer. Remember, if you’re not in a position to invest in professional teeth whitening right away, you can always try some natural remedies to whiten your teeth.

Flossing is an integral part of any oral hygiene routine, yet often gets overlooked. How many of you have skipped the flossing from time to time? 

There can be an art to flossing in order to ensure it’s as effective as intended. So today, we’ll be going through everything you need to know about flossing your teeth and how to do so effectively. 

Why do you have to floss your teeth? 

Flossing comes with a myriad of benefits for your overall dental health, here are just a few reasons why you should floss: 

• Those bits between your teeth count for 40% of the surface area of your teeth. So, if you’re not flossing you’re missing out on all those areas which makes you a prime candidate for gum disease
• It helps to prevent gum disease 
• It can improve your overall dental health 
• It’s been known to benefit your overall health. Studies have shown that those that have better oral health are less likely to develop other illnesses such as heart disease 

How often should you floss your teeth?

You should be flossing at least once per day and flossing should be an essential part of your three-step daily dental care routine; brush, floss, rinse. We recommend flossing at night as it’ll help you to get rid of any minute pieces of food that may still be in there after a day of eating. 

Should you floss or brush your teeth first?

This question can leave a lot of people divided. Many people opt for flossing after they’ve brushed their teeth while others prefer to floss first to loosen any food particles and then brush afterwards. However, this begs the question… what if you brush after flossing and the food particles end up being trapped in between your teeth again. 

The truth is, there’s no recommended order to do it and it’s entirely up to you. As long as you are flossing then that should suffice enough for your dental health. 

How to floss your teeth properly? 

Now to get to the nitty-gritty of things. Flossing can be somewhat of an art, especially if you’re not familiar with it and it’s been something you’ve been neglecting as part of your dental routine. 

The NHS recommends using interdental brushes daily, but they acknowledge that these don’t work for some people and as such, flossing is a great alternative. When flossing, you should tear off a long piece of floss (around 45cm) to work with and for each tooth move slightly further down the piece of floss. 

To floss, hold a section taught between your thumbs and fingers and leave around an inch of floss to clean your teeth with. 

Gently use a rocking motion to slide the floss between the teeth and remove any bits of excess food. As you reach the gum line, you should begin to curve the floss around the tooth snugly so that there’s some resistance and then scrape the floss upwards, away from the gumline to adequately clean your tooth. 

How to floss your back teeth?

Getting to the back of your teeth can be a little difficult, especially if your jaw is misaligned. However, it’s not impossible. All you need to do is ensure you have extra floss (so more than the 2.5cm we mentioned earlier) and curve it around your back teeth before scraping upwards. 

You might also want to consider using different flossing tools. You can buy the small plastic flossers which are already nice and taught for you meaning you don’t have to deal with that step and you can easily access your back molars. You can also invest in an electric flosser that has a long nozzle that allows you to access the back of your mouth with ease. 

What if you can’t floss between two teeth?

Generally speaking, your dental floss should easily fit between the small gaps in your teeth. If you have teeth that are really close together or that are overlapping slightly, you could try flossing tape as it’s much thinner than traditional dental floss; Oral B Satin Tape is a great option. 

Sometimes, your teeth might just be a little too close together. Don’t force the floss but apply added pressure in a downwards rocking motion until the floss works through. 

Do you need to floss all your teeth?

In short, the answer to this is yes. You wouldn’t just brush some of your teeth, would you? And things like tooth decay can spread, so by neglecting just one of two of your teeth you could potentially be causing a lot of dental harm to your mouth in the long run. 

Does flossing create gaps in the teeth?

No, but if you don’t floss correctly it might seem like there are gaps if you cut your gums, for example. If you cut your gums they may eventually begin to recede which creates the appearance of gaps. So, you must follow the steps we outline above for flossing correctly to prevent any damage to your gums. 

Can you get food out of your teeth without floss?

Sometimes you might be able to, but it depends how stuck in there the food is. If you’ve ever indulged in corn on the cob you likely know the feeling of having something too large stuck between your teeth. However, some food particles aren’t so noticeable so you might think you can get away without flossing. This is a mistake though and the only way to ensure all traces of food are removed from your mouth is to ensure you floss (and rinse afterwards, too). 

When do you start flossing a child’s teeth?

Although you may consider not encouraging your child to floss early as they ultimately lose their milk teeth, a child should start flossing as soon as any two of their teeth are touching. Remember that not flossing can lead to decay and gum disease or inflamed gums so it’s important to start early. The NHS recommends flossing from age 12. However, we encourage starting earlier as it gets them into a solid oral hygiene routine.  

Why might your teeth smell bad when you floss?

If you’ve never flossed, or floss rarely, you may have noticed a putrid smell after flossing the first time and be wondering what that is. It’s actually food beginning to rot and bacteria growth. And if that’s not a good enough excuse to make you want to floss more frequently, we don’t know what is. 

Can you over floss your teeth?

Just like you can overbrush, you can over floss too and cause significant irritation or damage to your gums. We don’t mean you can floss too frequently, but you can floss incorrectly which causes damage. If your gums bleed when flossing, it’s not usually from overflossing, it’s usually because they’ve become inflamed or it could be the early signs of gum disease. As you continue to floss over time, this issue will subside. 

Hopefully, you’ll now be fully equipped with everything you need to know about flossing and how you can do it effectively and simply. Remember flossing is an integral part of your dental care routine and contributes to stronger and healthier teeth. 

Dental health should be at the forefront of your mind at all times. Just like you look after your body through the foods you eat and through exercise, there are important factors to consider when it comes to oral health and hygiene too. Today we’ll be going through everything you need to know to ensure you have happy and healthy teeth. 

Brushing 

First on the list is brushing. The NHS recommends that you need to brush your teeth for at least two minutes twice daily. We also recommend using toothpaste that contains fluoride as your water supply doesn’t usually have enough fluoride in it to give you the desired effects. Though many opt for a standard toothbrush, electric ones provide you with more power and an overall better clean. Once you’ve brushed once with an electric brush, you won’t want to switch back. 

Flossing 

Next up is flossing and you need to know that flossing is super important for cleaning all those harder to reach spots in your mouth. Food can often get trapped in between your teeth and if left, it can lead to tooth decay. Flossing also allows you to clean ever so slightly under the gumline to ensure that there are no areas that are left untreated. If you’re not a fan of traditional flossing, there are now electric versions available too that’ll leave you feeling like you’ve had a trip to the hygienist. 

Rinsing 

The final stage of your morning and evening oral hygiene routine is rinsing. Using mouthwash helps to get rid of any excess food particles that are in your mouth after brushing and flossing and also gives you nice fresh breath. Some mouthwashes also have stain removing properties added to them too to help to brighten your smile. 

What to eat for strong healthy teeth? 

Foods that are high in calcium are known to be great for healthier teeth and bones. Consider incorporating a healthy amount of milk into your diet to ensure this. Other sources of calcium can include beans and pulses, almonds, and leafy greens such as spinach and kale. It’s recommended that an adult needs around 1000mg of calcium per day and children around 1300mg. Those who are over 70 should increase their calcium intake too.

What not to eat to maintain healthy teeth? 

Sugar is possibly one of the worst things for your teeth. This means that you should avoid foods that have added sugars in them. Sadly this means all the good stuff like chocolates, sweets and those tasty desserts. When the bacteria in your mouth react with sugar they release an acid that’s very damaging to your tooth enamel which could ultimately lead to tooth decay. Wherever you can, brush your teeth after eating something sweet. Also, citrus can be detrimental to your dental health. The acid can wear away at your tooth enamel; we don’t recommend cutting out citrusy foods altogether, but it’s better to eat them in moderation. 

What minerals are essential for dental health?

Top of the list is calcium, which you can get from a variety of healthy food and drinks that we mentioned above. Additionally, Vitamin D has been proven to improve bone density and is therefore great for your teeth. Vitamin D is most commonly absorbed by the body through direct sunlight which is a great excuse to book a holiday to somewhere sunny. Foodwise, you can find Vitamin D in foods such as fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mushrooms. Minerals such as Potassium, Phosphorus, and Vitamins C and A are also great for your dental health. 

What drinks aren’t good for your teeth?

Anything fizzy can damage your tooth enamel and ultimately lead to tooth decay. Not only this, but some drinks can also pretty badly stain your teeth. Some of the main culprits include red wine, coffee, tea and coca-cola. Anything dark will ultimately affect the brightness of your teeth. So we recommend only consuming those in moderation; we understand going cold turkey from them all might be a challenge. 

How to keep teeth healthy when smoking?

Generally speaking, we’re medical professionals and don’t recommend smoking. Not only can smoking (and vaping) cause a lot of damage to your teeth and severely discolour them, it’s also terrible for your overall health too. However, if you are a smoker, it’s imperative that you never miss your dental checkups and always follow your oral hygiene routine day and night as you are more susceptible to gum disease as a smoker. You might want to invest in a harder bristled toothbrush and also get a toothpaste specifically designed for smokers like Clinomyn. 

How often should you get a dentist checkup?

We recommend visiting your dentist at least once every 6 months for a full dental checkup, this way, your dentist can treat any minor issues before they turn into big ones. Also, they can carry out X-rays to ensure everything is healthy on the inside as well as the outside. Regular checkups can ensure that something simple such as needing a filling doesn’t turn into the need for a root canal. 

How often should you see a dental hygienist?

This can sometimes depend on your individual needs which you can discuss with your dentist, but generally speaking, you should go see the hygienist every 6 months for a thorough clean to make sure everything’s in tip-top shape. The treatment is completely pain-free and many people find that after a hygienist clean they have a whiter and brighter smile too as many of the surface stains are removed. 

In conclusion 

We hope this article has covered everything you need to know about maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Dental health is extremely important and by looking after your teeth and getting dental checkups regularly you can ensure you have a healthier and whiter smile for years to come which has a whole host of benefits associated with it.