As they often say, you’ll miss them when they’re gone, so it’s important to look after your teeth to the best of your ability. While you might think that you’re doing everything right, there are some pitfalls that we all fall into when it comes to our oral health. Here are five things to look out for.

 

1. Heartburn

Acid wreaks havoc with your teeth, and while the chest pain may seem like the worst part of heartburn, the acid creeping up from your digestive system is also silently dissolving the enamel on your teeth. If you suffer very badly with heartburn, you should consider consulting your doctor so as not to worsen any pre-existing damage to your teeth.

 

2. Teeth-brushing

Don’t get it twisted here, brushing your teeth is a vital part of good oral health, but where people are falling down is in how they are brushing. Brushing too hard or vigorously can wear away the enamel on your teeth and cause sensitivity, while brushing directly after consuming acidic foods also weakens enamel. Experts advise tackling these problems by brushing in small circles, and rinsing your mouth with water and waiting 40 minutes after consuming acidic foods before brushing.

 

 

3. Whitening

A little whitening every now and then is fine, but excessive whitening is seriously damaging our teeth. With the growing obsession to emulate the celebs with their expensive pearly whites, many people are overdoing it with the whitening strips and pastes, and their teeth are suffering. As well as weakening enamel, whitening can even erode mineral content in the tooth.

 

4. Acidic foods

Given that the list of acidic foods covers everything from fruit to fizzy drinks and wine, the chances are that very few of us are escaping this one. An expert tip to try and reduce the damaging effects of these foods and drinks is to neutralise the pH by consuming them with water or cheese.

 

 

5. Not flossing and brushing often enough

The rule of thumb is to brush for two minutes a day, twice a day, and to floss first to give your teeth the best clean and the most effective care. Neglecting this is causing harm to your overall oral health.

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