Unlike so many other bodily care industries such as haircare and skincare, toothcare practices and products have hardly changed over the years. The age-old advice of brushing twice a day, flossing at least once and seeing the dentist every six months or so are still the recommended ways to take care of your teeth. For other parts of the body, there are many more options and everybody seems to have their own opinion on what works and what doesn’t.
While the consistency of oral hygiene advice is a good sign that those things actually work, it’s nice to change things up once in a while. This applies in many areas of our lives, and dental care is no exception. Also, new and improved ways to take care of our teeth do come along every so often. With that in mind, here are some of the ways that you can upgrade your dental care regime.
Get a new toothbrush
Although they are not single-use like many disposable products, toothbrushes are meant to be thrown away after a while. The reason for this is that when they have been overused, the bristles tend to fray and become too hard on your gums when you brush. The maximum amount of time that any toothbrush or toothbrush head should be used is four months. If yours is older, bin it and get a new one.
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Upgrade your toothbrush
Although you can do the job with just a cheap, no-frills toothbrush, there are improved versions on the market. An obvious step up is an electric one, but there are now ones with more functionality than just vibrating bristles. You can find electric toothbrushes that have a two-minute timer built in so that you can easily make sure you’re brushing for long enough, or you could get a smart toothbrush that is linked to an app. These can even help you analyse and improve your brushing technique.
If you want to go for something really different, you could also try a new ‘U’ toothbrush. These horseshoe-shaped brushes fit around your teeth like a mouthguard and then brush both sides of all your teeth simultaneously. Not only do these make sure that every tooth is thoroughly cleaned, but it’s quicker too.
Try some new toothpaste
Most fluoride-containing toothpastes in the pharmacy or supermarket are good enough, and the flavour doesn’t matter. A nice way to change up your dental hygiene routine is to try a new toothpaste. There are many more flavours than just mint.
Try an interdental brush
As you can guess from the name, these are designed to clean in between your teeth. They are essentially a reusable alternative to flossing that’s usually used by people with braces or dental bridges. However, anyone can use them. If you’re worried about whether a brush will be able to fit between your teeth, the Piksters interdental brush and other interdental brushes are available in a range of sizes.
Conclusion
It’s nice to switch things up sometimes to keep life interesting, even if it is something as routine as dental care. You might even find new products that you prefer to your old ones, and this makes you more likely to continue with your good dental hygiene habits.
