Healthy teeth rarely need heroic dentistry — they need small habits, repeated daily. After 25 years of check-ups, these are the five pieces of advice our hygienists give most often, because they prevent the problems we treat most.
1. Brush twice, but brush gently
Two minutes, twice a day, with a soft brush and fluoride toothpaste. Scrubbing hard wears enamel and irritates gums — let the bristle tips do the work with small circular motions along the gumline.
2. Clean between teeth every night
A brush reaches about 60% of each tooth’s surface. Floss or interdental brushes handle the rest, where most cavities and gum disease quietly begin. One minute before bed is enough.
3. Mind the sipping habit
Coffee with sugar, soda, juice — sipped over hours, they bathe teeth in acid all day. Finish sweet drinks in one sitting, rinse with water after, and give your enamel time to recover.
4. Don’t skip the six-month visit
Tartar can’t be brushed off once it hardens, and early cavities don’t hurt. A 45-minute hygiene visit twice a year catches both while fixes are small and cheap.
5. Protect teeth during sport and sleep
A custom night guard costs less than a single cracked-tooth crown. If you grind at night or play contact sport, protection pays for itself many times over.