15 top tips for healthy teeth

Your mouth needs daily maintenance to stay healthy and keep dental diseases at bay. Making good choices will have a positive effect on your general health and wellbeing too, with studies showing mouth health is linked with overall health.¹

Poor oral health has recently been associated with various diseases elsewhere in the body, such as cardiovascular disease, so it’s more important than ever to prioritise a healthy mouth.²

Brushing your teeth is the obvious place to start, but check out our other tips and make sure your mouth is as healthy as possible!

How can I make my teeth healthier?

Simple. First of all, you need to be mindful of the fact you need to look after your teeth, especially as you get older. And secondly? Incorporate some good oral care techniques into your everyday life.

For instance, making sure you brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes, steering clear of sugar-packed food and drink and eating plenty of food and veg. But that’s just the start, keep reading for more easy-to-follow oral care tips…

How do you know if your teeth are healthy?

Put it this way, you’ll probably know about it at some point if your teeth aren’t healthy. Signs of bad oral health and teeth include:³

• Acute mouth or jaw pain
• Swollen or bleeding gums
• Bad breath
• Gaps between the teeth
• Loose or discoloured teeth
• Teeth sensitivity
• Recurring mouth ulcers

What colour are healthy teeth?

Ok, so this may come as a bit of a surprise, but the strongest, healthiest teeth aren’t necessarily bright white.

Healthy teeth tend to be a couple of shades darker. The enamel is more of a blueish-white colour, but is also somewhat translucent, so the yellow of the dentine beneath it shows through to make the overall colour either light grey or light yellow. Anything darker than this is classed as heading towards unhealthy territory.⁴

1. Brush right

It’s nothing you haven’t heard before – but brushing your teeth is important. If you don’t do it, your teeth will quickly become coated with a sticky layer of plaque. This is a build-up of bacteria, which comes from the food you eat, as well as bacteria and mucus that’s found naturally inside your mouth. Not brushing your teeth and gums effectively causes gum disease, which is a common condition characterised by soreness, inflammation and bleeding gums. If left untreated, this can lead to periodontitis, a more severe form of gum disease.⁵

Make sure you cover every surface of each tooth with your brush, not just the front of your teeth. Use a clean toothbrush no more than six months old. The NHS recommends: ‘a toothbrush with a small head and a compact, angled arrangement of long and short round-end bristles is fine. Medium or soft bristles are best for most people.’⁶

Flossing is an effective way of removing food particles that get trapped between your teeth after eating and can be left behind, even after brushing. Try to make flossing a part of your daily routine.

Use a toothpaste with fluoride, and don’t rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash immediately after brushing as this can wash away the remnants of fluoride, which protects your teeth and strengthens enamel. Use mouthwash after meals instead.

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2. Reduce the amount of sugar you eat

As well as being bad for your overall health, sugar is your teeth’s worst enemy. Bacteria in your mouth uses sugar to produce acid, which is very harmful to the protective enamel, which is the hard, shiny coating that keeps your teeth strong. Eating and drinking too many sugary things causes an over-production of acid, which attacks your enamel and dissolves it, leaving cavities and the high risk of bacterial infection on your teeth.

Stay away from all sweets, sugary breakfast cereals, biscuits and milk chocolate. It’s not just obvious sugars that can corrode tooth enamel. Starchy foods, such as white bread and savoury crackers will feed the bacteria in your mouth just as quickly as sugar, so watch out for these too. Fruit juice, fizzy drinks and alcohol are to be avoided where possible.⁷ Too many dried fruits are also problematic if you’re looking out for your dental health - as well as being sugary, they’re also sticky, meaning they can stick bacteria on to the surface of your teeth.

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3. Eat fibrous fruits and vegetables

Eat a diet full of fibrous fruits and vegetables, wholegrain rice and breads and drink water or tea. Staying hydrated is key, as saliva in the mouth washes away excess bacteria, which is then swallowed and eliminated by the body as a waste product. Drinking plenty of water, as well as herbal teas, can help reduce bad bacteria in the mouth.

4. Eat foods with alkaline

Foods that are alkaline can help you cancel out the effects of acid on your tooth enamel.⁸

5. Get enough dairy products

Dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt are alkaline, and they give you a dose of calcium and phosphate, which are needed for building strong teeth, so a cube of cheese and a handful of almonds is a far better choice for your teeth (and overall health) than a cereal bar or bag of starchy crisps.

But what about if you’re vegan and you can’t follow the advice on eating dairy? There are lots of vegan alkaline foods you can eat. They include avocado, tomatoes, peppers, lentils, sunflower seeds, and almonds, which are ok for both vegans and non-vegans to eat.⁹

Other tips for healthy teeth include:

6. Brush your teeth regularly, but not aggressively.
7. Floss once a day.
8. Get regular check-ups with a dentist.¹⁰
9. Use smaller, interdental toothbrushes for a more thorough clean.
10. 1Use a mouthwash.
11. Don’t smoke – it stains teeth and can increase the chance of developing gum disease.
12. Use a fluoride toothpaste.
13. Limit your alcohol consumption – alcohol can erode the outer surface on our teeth and lead to enamel loss.
14. Drink just one fruit juice or smoothie a day – to help limit your sugar intake.
15. Clean your teeth at least once a day - for two minutes in the morning and two minutes before you go to bed each night.

To sum things up…

Most of us may be born with a healthy set of teeth, but it’s up to us to make sure they stay that way. Poor oral hygiene over a period of time can take its toll on our teeth, gums and mouth, so it’s important to look after your teeth to prevent any irreparable damage from setting in.