What’s in a smile? The truth is, a lot.
As well as a universal sign of our happiness, it can be the cause of it. In fact, it’s said that those who often smile live longer – seven years on average – and are more likely to be successful in relationships and the workplace.
A bright, white smile is something many of us strive for, and these all seem like good reasons. But more crucially, a healthy mouth can help us avoid the illnesses that stem from oral conditions.
These include gum disease, which can be the starting point for noma, cardiovascular disease, low birthweight in babies, and complications in diabetes; dental infections, which can increase our risk of pneumonia; edentulousness, or loss of teeth, which can result in an impaired ability to chew, and malnutrition; and oral bacteria associated with infective arthritis and endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart’s inner linings.
So how can we ensure our smile is as happy, and healthy, as possible?
Top tips to protect your teeth
There are so many simple steps you can take to improve your oral health. Here are just a few:
Brush your teeth at least twice a day, including last thing at night, with a fluoride toothpaste. Such as #BioMinF toothpaste.
Change your toothbrush every two to three months, or sooner if it shows signs of wear.
Visit your dentist regularly – as often as they recommend – and your dental hygienist, who can give your teeth a thorough polish and offer advice on preventing dental problems.
Enjoy a varied diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and fresh fruit and vegetables. However, avoid snacking and try to only consume sugary foods and drinks at mealtimes to reduce the amount of time your teeth come under acidic attack.
Wait an hour after eating or drinking before brushing your teeth, as your enamel will be softened at this point, and more prone to damage.
Smokers: consider quitting. Your whole body will thank you!
Did you know?
To check if you have bad breath,
lick your wrist and let it dry.
If it smells unpleasant, your breath probably does too!
If you’d also like to use interdental brushes, floss or mouthwash:
Clean in between your teeth at least once a day – though there is conflicting evidence of the practice’s effectiveness most clinicians believe it makes a difference.
Refrain from rinsing with water using mouthwash straight after brushing, as it’ll wash away the protective fluoride layer that has formed over your enamel.
Protect your smile with BioMinF
To ensure you can follow the tips above as closely as possible, and guarantee their success, you might need a few new tools and techniques in your arsenal.
That includes a soft-to-medium-headed toothbrush, an effective brushing regime (which you can read more about here) and a high quality fluoride toothpaste, such as BioMinF.
BioMinF is a high-tech toothpaste that may not only protects your smile, but could strengthen it too. It deposits a low concentration of fluoride onto the surface of your teeth over a 12-hour period, as well as calcium and phosphate, to develop a resistant fluorapatite surface to reduce the risk of acid attack, tooth decay and help combat tooth sensitivity.