National Smile Month 2016 – Looking After Our Oral Health
Between the 16th of May and the 16th of June 2016, we will be joining people throughout the UK to celebrate National Smile Month. Set up by the Oral Health Foundation, National Smile Month is the UK’s biggest and longest-running campaign to promote the importance of oral health. 2016 marks a very special landmark for National Smile Month, with the campaign celebrating its 40th year!
Looking after your oral health can have a whole range of benefits, from contributing towards your overall health, to transforming the way you look and helping you to feel more confident in your appearance and in life.
To celebrate National Smile Month, we have put together a list of our top tips for looking after your oral health:
Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste
You should be sure to brush your teeth last thing at night before you go to sleep and at least once more during the day. Be sure to use a fluoride toothpaste – fluoride helps to strengthen tooth enamel and makes your teeth more resistant to decay.
You can also:
- Use floss or interdental brushes to clean in between your teeth at least once every day.
- Use mouthwash, but don’t use it directly after brushing your teeth as you can rinse away the fluoride from your toothpaste so it is not as effective.
- Get a new toothbrush or toothbrush head every 2 months or sooner. When the brush becomes worn, it doesn’t clean the teeth as effectively.
- If you have braces, it’s important to brush around the braces, as well as in between your teeth and where your teeth meet the gums. Special interdental brushes can make this easier.
Your diet can play a big part in your oral health
Consuming too many sugary foods and drinks on a regular basis can lead to tooth decay and poor oral hygiene. Try to cut down on foods and drinks containing a lot of sugar to look after your teeth.
Other useful diet tips for looking after your oral hygiene include:
- Chew sugar-free gum after you eat and drink to help protect your teeth and gums between meals. This is especially important after consuming a lot of sugar.
- Contrary to what you might believe, you should wait an hour after eating or drinking to brush your teeth. Directly after eating or drinking, your enamel is softer, so you could risk brushing away tiny particles of your teeth.
- Eat a varied, balanced diet, rich in vitamins and minerals. Lots of fresh fruit and vegetables are important in fighting off gum disease.
- Avoid snacking and try to keep sugary foods and drinks to meal times. By keeping eating to mealtimes, you reduce the amount of time that your teeth come under attack from food.
- Try eating a cube of cheese to finish meals – this can help to neutralise the effect of the acids from your food and prevent damage to your teeth.
If you suffer from crooked, misaligned, gapped or overcrowded teeth that prevent you from enjoying your smile as much as you would like to, you can call Northenden House Orthodontics on 0161 998 2622 to book a consultation with our team.
- Blue Horizons
