Oral health may not always be top of the list, but it’s an important part of self-care. Your teeth and gums have a direct link to good physical and mental health.
1 Brush your teeth
“It’s important to brush your teeth for two minutes each time,” says Karen Coates at the Oral Health Foundation. “This should be once during the day and last thing at night.”
Karen explains that saliva flow – which neutralises acids and helps to prevent dental decay – reduces by about 50% when we sleep. So, it’s important to go to bed with a clean mouth.
2 Clean between your teeth
Use interdental brushes or floss between your teeth once a day. “When we brush our teeth, we’re only reaching about 60% of the surface,” says Karen. “The other 40% is where a toothbrush can’t get to.”
3 Reduce your sugar intake
“When you eat something with sugar in it, it reacts with plaque, which produces acid,” she explains. “Eventually, these plaque acids can cause holes in your teeth. If you eat sugar frequently, your teeth will be under attack all day.”
4 Visit the dentist regularly
Your dentist will recommend how often you need to visit. Karen says: “Some people may need to go every six months and others may not need to go as often.”
5 Prevent heart disease
There’s a link between poor gum health and heart disease. “Bacteria from infected gums can enter the bloodstream, which contributes to inflammation in the heart and blood vessels,” says Karen.
6 Increase self-confidence
Karen says that poor oral health can affect people’s self-esteem and their mental health. “If people have missing teeth, for instance, they may stop smiling or going out of the house,” she explains.
7 Start good habits early
Children should start going to the dentist from their first birthday, advises Karen. When children lose all their baby teeth, they should start cleaning in between their adult teeth.
