Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums to preserve your long-term dental health. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly - making good oral hygiene important to your overall well-being.
For many people, dental hygiene is as straightforward as carrying out daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, which will help stop problems before they develop. As well as regularly visiting the dentist, there are simple steps that each of us can take to greatly decrease the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease and other dental problems. These include:
Toothbrushing is important throughout life, allowing you to reduce the risk of dental issues and periodontal diseases - particularly with the use of fluoride-containing toothpaste. The UK government recommends “cleaning all tooth surfaces, and the gum line, thoroughly with a toothbrush and fluoride-containing toothpaste at least twice a day (last thing at night or before bed and one other time), spitting out the excess toothpaste”, as well as “use of additional cleaning aids to reach interproximal surfaces, as appropriate”.
A key goal of brushing your teeth and other good hygiene habits is to avoid the excessive build-up of plaque, and so avoid gum disease. The NHS recommends the following:
“Brushing your teeth for about 2 minutes last thing at night before you go to bed and on 1 other occasion every day – it does not matter if you use an electric or manual toothbrush, but some people find it easier to clean their teeth thoroughly with an electric toothbrush using toothpaste that contains the right amount of fluoride, a natural mineral that helps protect against tooth decay.”