What is oral hygiene and why is it important?

Oral hygiene

We all know it’s important to brush our teeth twice a day – but for optimal oral health, there are other things we should be doing in our daily oral hygiene routines.1

In this article, we’ve included a host of the oral hygiene tips you should know to keep your mouth, teeth and gums healthy.

 

What is oral hygiene?

The World Health Organization defines oral health as the state of our mouths, teeth, and the other structures that allow us to breathe, eat and speak. It details that our oral health and hygiene also affects our self-confidence, wellbeing and the way we work and socialise, as poor oral health can cause us discomfort, pain and embarrassment.2 By keeping up good oral hygiene – through toothbrushing, flossing, and other methods of keeping our teeth clean3 – we can help maintain good oral health.

 

Why is oral hygiene important?

Maintaining good oral hygiene practices is important for keeping your oral health in check , helping prevent certain oral diseases,1,2 and reducing the need for costly dental procedures including fixing cavities , tooth decay and other dental and gum problems.1

 

Risk factors and health issues associated with poor oral hygiene

Poor oral hygiene can contribute to problems in the mouth, such as:

Tooth decay

Tooth decay happens when the sticky layer of plaque that forms over the teeth each day isn’t cleaned off and damages teeth over time. You may not notice any symptoms of tooth decay at first, which is why it’s important to see your dentist regularly even if you don’t have any problems. If left untreated, tooth decay can lead to holes in the teeth known as cavities.4

Cavities

Cavities are holes in the teeth caused by tooth decay, which can lead to symptoms like toothache, sensitive teeth, and discoloured spots on the teeth. Cavities will likely need treatment from the dentist known as fillings to prevent the holes from causing further dental problems. Left untreated, tooth decay and cavities can lead to affected teeth needing root canal treatment (where bacteria are removed from the pulp inside a tooth) or, in severe cases, extraction.4

Gum disease

Gum disease is a common issue that causes gums to become red, sore and bleed. It’s caused by plaque build-up on the teeth, which irritates the gums if it’s not removed by brushing and cleaning between the teeth each day. Without at-home preventative actions and treatment with your dentist (if needed), it can lead to bad breath, shrinking gums, and even tooth loss.5

Bad breath

Sometimes bad breath is harmless and is caused by eating smelly foods, but sometimes it can be a symptom of something more serious, including dental conditions like gum disease. Reduce your risk of having bad breath by brushing your teeth twice a day, using fluoride toothpaste, and regularly seeing your dentist.5,6

 

How to improve your daily oral hygiene routine

Below, we’ve listed a set of oral hygiene instructions recommended by the NHS to create a healthy daily oral care routine:

Brush twice a day

Brush your teeth twice a day – once before bed and at another time during the day – for two minutes each time with fluoride toothpaste (like any from the Aquafresh range). It doesn’t matter whether you use an electric toothbrush or a manual one, as long as you thoroughly clean all surfaces of your teeth.7

Floss between your teeth

Use dental floss or interdental brushes every day to help remove food and plaque from between your teeth.1

Use mouthwash

Using a mouthwash containing fluoride can help ward off tooth decay. After using mouthwash, like Aquafresh Complete Care Mouthwash, avoid eating or drinking anything for 30 minutes.7

 

Improving your overall oral health

Besides your daily oral hygiene routine, there are some other lifestyle changes you can make for better oral health. These include:

Cutting down on sugar

Tooth decay happens when plaque bacteria react with the sugars in foods to produce acids. These acids then attack your teeth, starting to dissolve and soften tooth enamel. Therefore, reducing the sugary snacks and drinks you consume throughout the day (especially between meals) is important to reduce your risk of tooth decay.1,8

Quitting smoking

Smoking is linked to poor oral health, including gum disease, tooth decay, and more serious oral diseases. If you smoke, you can improve your oral health and hygiene by quitting.1,4,5

Having crooked teeth straightened

Straightening your teeth can help you care for your teeth and gums more easily – the most common way to do this is by getting braces. Orthodontic treatment is free on the NHS for those under 18 (if a dentist thinks it’s needed).1,9

Regularly seeing your dentist

Having regular dental check-ups means any problems can be detected early, making them easier to treat and helps maintain your oral health.1

 

Aquafresh products for maintaining your oral health

Our range of oral hygiene products includes fluoride toothpastes, toothbrushes and mouthwash to help you care for your teeth every day. Discover some of our oral care products below:

Aquafresh Complete Care Original Toothpaste

Helping to protect against cavities and fight plaque bacteria, our Complete Care Original toothpaste leaves you with a clean, healthy mouth.

Aquafresh Complete Care Extra Fresh Toothpaste

Complete Care Extra Fresh toothpaste goes beyond freshening, it purifies breath, as well as having all the cavity-fighting benefits of the Original formula.

Aquafresh Complete Care Whitening Toothpaste

With its Complete Care formula containing six benefits for oral health alongside removing surface stains, our Complete Care Whitening toothpaste is a great choice for cavity prevention, enamel strength and healthy gums.

Aquafresh Complete Care Toothbrush

Our Complete Care Toothbrush has a 25% better reach between teeth (compared with a standard flat trim full head toothbrush, in laboratory testing) – helping you brush gently and effectively in all those hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

Aquafresh Complete Care Mouthwash

Suitable for all family members over 6 years old , our Complete Care Mouthwash helps maintain gum health, reduces bad breath bacteria and reaches where your toothbrush misses, helping to keep gums healthy and breath fresh.

 

Oral hygiene summed up

Good oral hygiene can be maintained by daily brushing, flossing and using mouthwash if you wish. Make sure you attend regular dentist appointments to catch any problems before they can cause lasting damage to your mouth. You could also make lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking and reducing your sugar intake to help keep your oral health tip-top.1,7

Sources

  1. NHS. Take care of your teeth and gums. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/take-care-of-your-teeth-and-gums/. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  2. World Health Organization. Oral health. https://www.who.int/health-topics/oral-health/#tab=tab_1. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  3. Gov.uk. Chapter 8: Oral hygiene. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivering-better-oral-health-an-evidence-based-toolkit-for-prevention/chapter-8-oral-hygiene. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  4. NHS. Tooth decay. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/tooth-decay/. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  5. NHS. Gum disease. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gum-disease/. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  6. NHS. Bad breath. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bad-breath/. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  7. NHS. How to keep your teeth clean. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-teeth-and-gums/how-to-keep-your-teeth-clean/. Accessed 04/08/2023.
  8. Oral Health Foundation. Dental decay. https://www.dentalhealth.org/dental-decay#. Accessed 01/12/2023.
  9. NHS. Braces and orthodontics. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/braces-and-orthodontics/. Accessed 04/08/2023.