Looking after your teeth between visits
The handful of habits that make the difference, and the ones that are mostly marketing.
Nothing in this list is complicated. Doing it consistently is the hard part.
Brush twice, properly
Two minutes, morning and last thing at night. The night-time brush matters most, because saliva flow drops while you sleep and whatever is left on the teeth sits there for hours. Use a fluoride toothpaste, spit it out, and do not rinse with water afterwards, because that rinses off the fluoride you just paid for.
Clean between the teeth once a day
Floss, tape or interdental brushes, whichever you will actually use. Interdental brushes are easier for most adults and generally more effective where the gaps are big enough to take them.
Watch how often you eat, not just what
Every time something fermentable goes in the mouth, the acid level drops for roughly twenty minutes. Six small snacks do more damage than one large dessert. Water between meals is the safest thing you can drink.
Do not ignore a grinding habit
Waking with a tight jaw, headaches at the temples, or teeth that are flattening at the edges all point to clenching or grinding at night. A guard is cheap. Rebuilding worn-down teeth is not.
Skip the internet whitening tricks
Charcoal, baking soda and lemon juice all work by abrading or dissolving enamel. They may look like they are working for a while. They are not.
Come in twice a year
Every long, expensive treatment plan we have ever written started as something small that nobody looked at.
