(Not) proper oral hygiene - the 10 biggest mistakes

(Not) proper oral hygiene - the 10 biggest mistakes

On 29 September 202225 June 2024In Polish Dentist in the UK, Preventive Dentistry

Everyone wants a beautiful smile. Teeth need to be white, healthy and strong. Do you think you are doing everything to take care of them? Make sure you don't make any of the 10 oral hygiene mistakes that can ruin your efforts! 

Inadequate tooth brushing technique 

Let's start with the most trivial thing: tooth brushing technique. It would seem that we mastered it perfectly as children - so as adults we have absolutely no problems in this area! 

Nothing could be further from the truth. As it turns out, the gingival and tongue-side parts are very often bypassed! 

It's not enough to wave a toothbrush and brush where you think. The right technique is important. You have as many as three to choose from: the circular method, the rotary-sweeping method and the vibrating method. You can read about them in our article: "How do I brush my teeth properly?". A must-read!  

The image shows an artificial tooth, three toothbrushes in different colours and three small erasers for practising oral hygiene. All elements lie on a white neutral background. The shot is characteristic of a dentist or dental office.

The wrong toothbrush 

We don't mean that everyone should use an electric or sonic toothbrush and forget about manual ones once and for all. Of course, these brushes are a huge convenience, but it is also possible to take good care of your oral hygiene without them.

A badly chosen toothbrush is one that doesn't do its job - It will therefore be too soft, so it will not effectively remove food residues, or too hard - this will injure the gums and even the enamel! If you are wondering, which toothbrush is best, read our article! 

Brush teeth immediately after meals 

Did you know that brushing your teeth immediately after a meal can result in damage to your enamel. Pay special attention to citrus: these have a very low pH, so you can rub the citric acids into your enamel. And this can have really unpleasant consequences! 

To be safe, wait at least 20-30 minutes before brushing your teeth. 

The image shows a young woman lying in a dental chair during a dental check-up. The woman's mouth is open and the dentist is examining her teeth with dental instruments. The scene takes place in the dentist's office and the woman can be seen in close-up from the side.

You ignore the spaces between your teeth 

Brushing your teeth alone is not enough! If you haven't already done so, now is the time to make friends with dental floss! As much as 40% bacteria accumulate in the spaces between your teeth, which you also need to get rid of in order to enjoy a beautiful and healthy smile. 

Flossing is black magic to you? It's not too late - you can always learn. We have included some useful tricks in our article: "How do you floss your teeth and why is it so important?". 

Poor oral hygiene – you brush your teeth too briefly

Speaking of time: how much time do you spend on your teeth? Or more precisely: how long do you brush them? If the number you're thinking of is less than 3, we have bad news for you. 3 minutes is the absolute minimum! Don't cut it short, even if you overslept heavily for work. Your boss will forgive you for being late, but your teeth may not forgive you for being negligent! 

You don't clean your tongue - this is another error in oral hygiene

Cleaning your tongue is very important! A lot of bacteria settle on it - so don't ignore this activity. You probably don't want all your brushing and flossing efforts to come to nothing. So remember your tongue! 

The painting shows a dentist examining a patient. The dentist is wearing a white apron and a protective mask. She is seen from the side, leaning over the seated patient. A patient with dark hair is visible in the foreground. The room looks like a professional dental office.

You do not perform a hygiene treatment once every 6 months 

Underestimating the importance of these treatments is very dangerous! If you do not regularly remove tartar, it will build up, causing tooth sensitivity, bleeding gums or exposed tooth necks. 

These are not all the ailments you may encounter! All this can lead to periodontitis, which, as we have mentioned several times in our guide, can even lead to tooth loss. Regular dental hygiene is just as important as regular brushing! 

For more on this topic, see our article: "Dental hygiene in the UK - scaling, tooth sandblasting, polishing and fluoridation".

REMINDER. The state of our teeth affects the health of our entire body. So make sure you take good care of your oral hygiene! Check it out, what impact tartar has on your health. 

The image shows a variety of oral hygiene accessories, including toothbrushes with wooden handles and natural bristles, a ceramic bowl with black powder and a container with cosmetic slime. A green ornamental plant leaf can also be seen in the picture.

Trying to whiten your teeth on your own

Of course, there are ways of home teeth whitening that won't harm our teeth, but still - we advise you to be extra careful. If you dream of a snow-white smile, it's best to simply contact your dentist! 

However, if you are still interested in the topic of home whitening, we have an article for you: "Home teeth whitening - pros and cons". Read what the techniques are and, most importantly, what to look out for. 

Not taking care of your vitamin D levels 

Vitamin D deficiency has a huge impact on your teeth! Even if your holidays in warm countries are over and you think your own 'sunshine batteries' are charged - we have to worry you. It is extremely difficult to get adequate levels of vitamin D, which is why most adults need to supplement it. 

Do the appropriate tests, contact your doctor - let him advise you on the right supplements and their dosage. Also check medications and diseases that damage teeth. 

The painting shows two smiling dentists in blue uniforms standing in a dental office. The man has a beard and the woman has long bright hair. They both have blue gloves on their hands and make an 'ok' gesture with their palms.

Oral hygiene - is regular visits

Even exemplary oral hygiene does not absolve you from visiting the dentist! Let these take place regularly, every 6 months - no cheating! 

Remember that with this, even if a cavity appears, treatment will be short and painless. Neglecting appointments can lead to a small hole turning into a large one - and additionally with inflammation. This asks for root canal treatment, which unfortunately - is often not completely painless. 

So make sure you visit your dentist once every six months. This is hugely important! 

These are all 10 mistakes you may already be making when looking after your teeth. We wish you a healthy, strong smile - and this will be possible when your oral hygiene is exemplary. 

If you are looking for a dentist in the UK - get in touch with us. We are happy to help you on your way to beautiful teeth!