Oral hygiene is something many of us take for granted. But if we stopped to think about how important our teeth are to our overall health and wellbeing – and how expensive it can be to fix any potential issues – we’d really start paying attention.
So, how can we better take care of them?
Dr. Michael Tam has been a dentist for 25 years and owns Smile By Design in Sydney. With that much experience, he’s seen it all, and thinks there are still some common mistakes people are making with their oral hygiene without even realising.
READ MORE: The tooth habit that could be hurting Aussies and how often you should really see a dentist
Don’t brush your teeth straight after eating
“One common myth when it comes to brushing teeth is people think they should brush their teeth immediately after they eat,” he says.
“Don’t.”
Dr. Tam says you need to leave at least half an hour between food and brushing, especially if you’ve just eaten something acidic like an apple. This is because it can increase the PH levels in your mouth and brush away the enamel of the teeth.
Check your mouthwash labels
Dr. Tam says mouthwash is fine to use, as long as you read the label.
“Some have alcohol in them, which is not good,” he says. “It tends to dry the mouth and decrease the PH levels.”
Ultimately, you want to aim for balanced PH levels in the mouth, so blasting your teeth, gums and tongue with something as stringent as alcohol isn’t ideal.
Knowing the PH levels of your mouth isn’t something dentists like Dr. Tam expect you to know, but it’s something to be mindful of. Acidic foods like apples, for instance, are low PH. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s good to have an apple a day, just don’t have too many,” he says.
READ MORE: Two months after welcoming her son, Michela’s trip to the dentist led to a rare diagnosis
Avoid crunching on ice
Dr. Tam says to avoid chomping down on anything hard with your teeth. And while that seems like common sense, it’s something he’s seen again and again.
“People go and start crunching ice as habit, they take flip bottle lids off with their teeth,” Dr. Tam says. “It’s like traumatically punching yourself in the face. Why would you try and open a bottle lid with your teeth?”
He has also seen patients with tongue studs, and warns it can lead to cracked teeth.
Don’t forget to floss. No, really
We know you’ve heard it a million times but here’s an anecdote that’ll make you listen: ”We see it all the time, people might eat something and they don’t really realise that there’s a bit of meat or grisel stuck in their teeth,” Dr. Tam says.
“Over time, it starts to stagnate in and around there and then the gums and [they] come to see us and say, ‘Oh my God, I’ve got a major tooth ache’… it’s purely for the fact that they haven’t flossed.”
This can lead to disease, decay, bad breath and root canal, among other serious complications.
“It’s like traumatically punching yourself in the face. Why would you try and open a bottle lid with your teeth?”
Visit the dentist for holistic health
“There’s certainly a link between cardiovascular disease and gum disease,” Dr. Tam says, adding that’s an evidence-based finding.
“If you don’t go to the dentist regularly, you’ll get gum disease, which leads to gum bone disease – periodontal disease – which actually increases the risk of heart attack and stroke and serious cardiovascular events.”
Taking care of your teeth is ultimately about holistic health. “Diet is really important, regular visits to [the dentist to] get a clean is really important,” he says.
Ultimately, if you brush twice a day, floss after eating and have a bit of common sense and consistency, Dr. Tam is confident you’re on the right track.
FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.
