Why You Need A Good Dental Routine At Home

Taking Care Of Your Teeth At Home

At Priors Hall Dental, we aim to provide our patients with a warm and welcoming environment every time you visit our practice. 

Although it is incredibly important to schedule regular checkups with our experienced dentists, our team knows that it is just as important to get into a good dental routine at home. 

Our teeth play a vital role in our daily lives and wellbeing, so coming up with a routine should be a priority. We understand that it can be hard fitting in an extensive dental routine around a busy schedule at home. Putting an at-home dental routine in place comes with a range of benefits. Our team has put together some of the things you can do at home to keep your smile bright and healthy.

Why Do I Need A Dental Routine At Home?

A survey from dentaly.org here, found that ‘over a quarter of British adults (27%) only visit the dentist when they have a problem.’ A lot of us have become complacent with routinely visiting the dentist. We recommend visiting our practice regularly for dental checkups, and this is commonly twice a year. Although visiting the practice only when you have a problem may help your symptoms in the short term, only a good dental routine at home will help in the long term.

A good at-home dental routine and regular dental checkups are the key to maintaining oral health. Having a dental routine at home means that you can look after your teeth without even really thinking about it. If you get into the routine of always brushing your teeth twice a day, it becomes something that will just come naturally to you. Putting these good habits in place can keep your teeth strong and healthy, helping to prevent many oral health issues like gum disease and a buildup of plaque. 

Below are some of our top tips for maintaining excellent oral health at home.

• Brushing your teeth

Although brushing your teeth itself is important, there’s a way to get it to achieve maximum results. Never go to bed without brushing your teeth as this can lead to an unhealthy buildup of plaque. No matter what you eat, plaque is unavoidable and will form throughout the day. If plaque is not removed, it can lead to oral health issues like gum disease.

Always brush your teeth twice a day and make sure to use a fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is the strongest defence against tooth decay, providing a highly protective barrier. When brushing your teeth, we recommend a good electric toothbrush, or a very good technique using your manual toothbrush. You should definitely brush for a full 2 minutes, but if you haven’t made your way all the way around your mouth don’t stop there!

• Brushing your tongue

When brushing your teeth, it’s easy to forget that bacteria can still form on your tongue.  More than 2/3rds of the bacteria in your mouth are found on your tongue! If you are going to use a toothbrush to brush your tongue, make sure you use one that is separate to the one that you use on your teeth, so the bacteria are not just transferring to your teeth from your tongue. We recommend our patients to use a Metal Tongue Scraper as they are far more effective than a toothbrush. Copper tongue scrapers are naturally antiviral and antimicrobial. Brushing your teeth may not be as effective if you forget the rest of your mouth. Focus on all areas of your mouth, not just your teeth. Make sure to brush for 2 minutes every time.

• Mouthwash

Mouthwash can help to fight plaque and other bacteria that forms within the mouth, throughout the day. It’s quick, easy and effective. Adding mouthwash to your at home dental routine twice a day has more impact than you might think, helping to maintain good oral hygiene. It’s important to note that you shouldn’t rinse your mouth after brushing your teeth as it will wash the toothpaste away. The best time to use your mouthwash is throughout the day, like after your lunch or dinner.

• Flossing

If you’ve never flossed before, you could be a little bit nervous about where to start. Perhaps you have tried to floss once in the past but experienced a bit of bleeding. This could have deterred you from trying again. A small amount of bleeding when flossing for the first time is completely normal and is unlikely to be a cause for concern. 

Some people will have gaps between their teeth which are too large for floss to be effective. For these people we would recommend using interdental brushes. These come in a number of sizes, so when you come for your regular checkups we can advise what size is best for you to use.

Flossing can easily be done from home. If you are unsure of where to start, there are tutorials online or our friendly team will be more than happy to help. 

• Other ways to look after your teeth

There are other small lifestyle changes that you can add to your routine. These will make all of the difference to your oral health. We would also recommend avoiding fizzy drinks, sugary snacks and smoking. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, not only is it great for your body but will help keep your mouth in a healthy balance. If you are going to have a sugary treat, have it straight after your lunch or dinner!
Taking care of your teeth by making these small lifestyle changes will all help to prevent oral health issues from arising.

Choose Priors Hall Dental Today

Here at Priors Hall Dental, we try to make a positive impact on the lives of our patients by encouraging them to be their healthiest selves. To maintain good oral hygiene, we recommend establishing an at home dental routine and visiting our practice regularly for checkups. To learn more about how we can help you look after your teeth and keep your smile healthy, contact our friendly team today. Call us on 01536 214 144. We look forward to hearing from you.