Sip on sports drinks
They are marketed as good for your health, but dentists say otherwise. Sports drinks are high in sugar and generally high in acid, too. Constantly sipping on them or other sweet beverages is what does the most damage to teeth.
“It takes about 20 minutes for your mouth to clean itself after you’ve had a sugar or acid attack,” explains Amanda Johnston, president of the New Zealand Dental Association. “If you keep sipping, there’s no time for recovery and that will cause a breakdown in the surface of your enamel and encourage bacteria to start forming decay in your teeth.”
Dentists would prefer us to drink plain water. “Obviously, we’re not going to win that battle all the time but if you’re going to have a sugary beverage then it’s better to drink it all in one go rather than sip slowly. Following it with some water will also help,” says Johnston.
Use the wrong toothbrush
Vigorous brushing can wear tooth enamel and lead to receding gums. The kind of brush you choose will contribute to that.
“You need to be using a soft toothbrush,” advises Johnston. “Medium or hard toothbrushes are great for cleaning your jewellery or the corners of the shower, but not that great for your teeth.”
Electric toothbrushes are a good option, too. They tend to have smaller heads which are easier to manoeuvre around the mouth.
Choose the wrong toothpaste
There is lots of choice when it comes to toothpaste, with a range of “natural” formulas containing ingredients like baking soda and charcoal. Baking soda can help neutralise acid in the mouth, but there is no real evidence of charcoal’s benefits.
Whatever the formulation, the key things to look for in any paste are that it is non-abrasive, healing and that it contains fluoride at the recommended level of 1000 ppm.
“If you’re using a toothpaste without fluoride, it’s not providing you with any benefit whatsoever,” says Johnston. “It’s a bit like using a sunscreen with no sun protection factor.”
The minerals in our tooth enamel are breaking down and repairing all the time. Fluoride plays a role in the re-mineralisation process while discouraging oral bacteria and helping to prevent cavities.
Clench and grind
At least 30% of us clench or grind our teeth at some point in our lives. This can put extra strain on the jaw joint, causing pain, clicking or locking. It also overloads teeth, particularly if you have lots of fillings and crowns, leading to fractures and cracks.
“This tends to be something that comes and go through your life. It can be a physical sign that you’re overworked or stressed,” says Johnston.
Ideally, we would deal with the reason for that stress. Failing that, there are other options. Botox can be used to relax the jaw muscles, which breaks the tension cycle. Or dentists can supply a custom-made bite splint, a mouthpiece that covers the teeth and is worn when sleeping.
Smoke or vape
Smoking cigarettes is terrible for your mouth. Among other things, it increases the chance of gum disease and oral cancers, compromises the function of your saliva glands, and slows natural healing.
“Generally, if you smoke then we’d encourage you to vape instead, as it’s believed to be a less-harmful alternative,” says Johnston.
However, vaping still delivers nicotine which affects saliva flow and it contains propylene glycol which breaks down to acids in the mouth. Potential effects on oral health include receding gums, dry mouth, bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease.
Forget to floss
Cleaning between the teeth with floss or an interproximal brush before brushing every night is important.
“Then you know for that whole period of time until morning you’ve got nothing in or on your teeth and that’s really good repairing time,” explains Johnston.
If food is getting trapped between your teeth when you eat, then floss picks are a handy on-the-go solution. It’s also worth seeing a dentist, who should be able to fix any significant food trap issues.
“There can be embarrassment and shame around tooth problems,” says Johnston. “But dentists want to help. So, if you think something is wrong, go and get it checked while the problem is still a small one.
