What do your teeth say about you?

Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you. A healthy smile isn’t always achieved overnight but takes a variety of methods to help create and maintain. With all the health advice available online now, it’s hard to know what is important to your oral health and what is not. Dr Mesut Mehri shares his 10 tips to help improve the appearance and health of your teeth.

Brush your teeth twice a day- not right after eating

This is a given, but many people still need to be reminded to brush their teeth at least twice a day. Brushing removes leftover food particles that can bond with saliva to form plaque. These particles feed the bacteria that naturally live in our mouths. Their digestive acids can eat through our tooth enamel, causing tooth decay.

Limit your sugar intake, including sugary drinks

A less obvious, but equally important threat at the moment is constant snacking. “Lockdown grazing” can significantly affect your teeth. 

Floss daily

Flossing removes plaque between teeth and out from under the gumlines, where a toothbrush can’t reach. Daily flossing helps prevent tooth decay and gingivitis. 

Limit your coffee, tea and red wine

Drinks like coffee, tea, and red wine are known for staining teeth. Similar to smoking, these drinks can build up a superficial stain that your dentist or hygienist can polish off. But they can also cause internal staining of your tooth enamel.

Drink plenty of water

Keeping your body hydrated helps your mouth produce enough saliva to keep your mouth and teeth clean. Saliva naturally washes out the mouth, removing oral bacteria and the food particles that they feed upon. Tap water is the best choice as it has the recommended dosage of fluoride.

Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening will help remove staining caused by drinking tea, coffee, smoking or any other associated staining. 

Sleeping habits

Teeth grinding, sleep apnea, or snoring can impact your smile and oral health. If you become aware that you are consistently showing one of these behaviours, mention it to your dentist during your next visit. There are a number of appliances which can protect your teeth from damage at night. 

Use an electric toothbrush with soft bristles

We recommend using an electric toothbrush with soft bristles as people tend to apply too much pressure when brushing. Soft bristles help to protect your gums and teeth.

Form good habits for a great smile – healthy diet

A healthy diet is important not just for overall health but is important for your teeth in ways you might not expect. In addition to good nutrition provided by healthy foods that help your bones and teeth grow and stay healthy, a lot of fruits and vegetables are crunchy and chewy, which promotes the production of saliva. 

See a hygienist twice a year

Having routine cleanings every six months helps to promote good oral health. When your cleanings are irregular, you can develop periodontal disease. This can cause unsightly swollen, receding, and bleeding gums.