6 tips for the best oral hygiene routine: how to look after your teeth post holidays

There are times in the year, like summer, which call for you to travel, eat and spend your days outdoors – with as little time at home as possible.

All of this activity makes it difficult to maintain good oral health, resulting in a disruption to the dental hygiene routine you have during the rest of the year.

If you get carried away over the holidays and neglect your oral care routine, but you’re keen to get back to it, then this article is for you. We tell you how to look after your teeth, improve oral health and have the best dental hygiene routine post summer.

Tips for resuming a good oral hygiene routine

According to a survey conducted by Impress, 35% of UK patients are dissatisfied with their oral health. This figure is higher in the UK than other countries that Impress is present in, suggesting there is much room for improvement. So how can we improve our oral health?

Having a dental hygiene routine contributes to maintaining good oral health. This keeps teeth healthy and, in turn, positively impacts how people perceive their dental health.

Below we explore a number of ways for how to resume or improve your oral health routine and better look after your teeth in general.

1. Brush your teeth after each meal

Even though it may seem obvious, it never hurts to remind ourselves: brushing teeth is the foundation of a good oral care routine. If over the break it has proven difficult to brush teeth regularly, it is important to go back to brushing after every meal upon your return to work or studies.

When it comes to the little ones, it is essential to instill a brushing routine from a young age, to avoid oral health problems in the future and guarantee the best dental hygiene routine from the start.

2. Floss once a day

Dental floss is the perfect complement to brushing your teeth. It is an effective solution for properly cleaning between your teeth and those tight spaces, in order to remove food debris and bacterial plaque. In our tips for maintaining good oral health in the summer, we recommend dedicating one day a week to intensive dental care, but when returning to the routine, we suggest using floss daily for the best oral hygiene results throughout the year.

3. Use a water flosser

Incorporating a water flosser into your dental hygiene routine helps to remove the food debris, plaque and bacteria in your mouth more effectively than simply brushing and flossing. It is also the perfect complement to keep teeth healthy, as it helps clean dental crowns, orthodontic appliances, bridges or implants, and reduces bleeding, gum inflammation, as well as bad breath.

4. Go back to healthy eating

Let’s be honest, over the holidays both adults and children alike neglect their diet. People eat out more, have sugary drinks and, in the summer, ice cream is a must, which all compromises our oral health.

With the return to routine, it is important to go back to consuming a healthy and balanced diet, to regain good eating habits and keep teeth healthy. So how can we look after our teeth? Below are some foods that can help:

• Foods rich in fluoride (meat, fish, spinach, onions and lettuce) improve the strength of the tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay.
• Dairy products, such as milk, yoghurt and cheese, are also non-cariogenic foods and help to keep teeth strong and healthy.
  
• Eggs, fish, lean meat and vitamin C help to improve our gums.
  
• Raw vegetables and fresh fruit help to maintain the brightness of our teeth.
  

5. Stay hydrated

Especially during the summer, due to the heat and the need to stay hydrated, we have a tendency to opt for fizzy or sugary drinks as an alternative to water. In order to keep teeth healthy, it is important to consume water. Keeping the mouth hydrated is essential to avoid dry mouth, strengthen the teeth, clean the mouth and combat bad breath. It is recommended that you drink 2-3 litres of water a day for good oral health.

6. The perfect time to visit the dentist

After returning from the holidays, having neglected your oral care routine a little, it is important to schedule a visit to the dentist for a check-up. During the check-up, the dentist will carry out an oral health examination to assess the condition of the teeth. If necessary, they will indicate whether any other procedures should be carried out to improve oral health, such as a professional dental hygiene, or if another treatment is required.

Keep your teeth healthy and aligned with Impress

Maintaining good oral health can involve orthodontic treatment, which allows us to correct the position of teeth and improve bite. At Impress, we offer treatments with clear aligners that, being removable, enable you to keep up with your dental hygiene routine as if you were not wearing them.

If you are interested in starting an orthodontic treatment with us, visit your nearest Impress clinic or get in touch by booking an appointment online, by phone, or via WhatsApp.