It can be easy to let good habits slip. A dinner with friends may run late, or you just might be too tired from a long day at work to do anything but jump into bed. Before long the good dental habits from childhood fade, and flossing is more the exception than the rule. If your routine has you expecting a lecture at your next dental appointment, we have five great tips to give both you and your dentist something to smile about!

Brush Properly

It’s all in the details. While it might be easy to remember tooth brushing morning and night, it’s as important to be thorough as it is to be consistent. Some things to try include:

• Dividing your mouth into four equal sections and spending 30 seconds on each. Don’t forget to brush both the inner and outer surfaces of teeth.
• Paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth, and areas around fillings, crowns, and other dental work.
• Ensuring fresher breath by getting all areas of the mouth, including gums, insides of cheeks, and tongue.
• Using a toothpaste with naturally derived ingredients that gently and effectively cleans teeth, such as our Thieves® AromaBright Toothpaste.

Be Gentle

Don’t confuse thorough brushing with aggressive brushing. You can get a sparkling smile while still being kind to your teeth and gums!

• Brush with short, gentle, circular strokes. Brushing too aggressively can wear down tooth enamel and damage gums. The point is to remove plaque, which does not take much force. A bacterial film, plaque forms between teeth and along the gumline, eating away enamel, weakening the teeth, and leading to cavities.
• The American Dental Association recommends using a soft-bristled toothbrush. Bristles that are too stiff can hurt gums.

Caring for Your Brush

If your toothbrush is more than three to four months old, it’s not doing as much good as it could. Change your toothbrush regularly, and rinse and let it dry after every use to keep it clean and extend its life.

Protect Your Enamel

Enamel is the shield for your teeth, and it’s important to protect your protection. Once tooth enamel is eroded, it does not grow back. Keep your enamel safe by:

• Avoiding acidic, sticky, and sugary foods.

• Waiting 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth. This allows your saliva time to dissolve leftover food particles. Saliva helps protect teeth.
• Flossing once per day. While it’s good to remove food particles from between teeth, the real value of flossing is removing plaque. A great choice for daily flossing is Thieves Dental Floss. Thin, strong, and made with a fresh burst of Thieves and Peppermint essential oils, it resists fraying and breakage and easily glides between teeth for those hard-to-reach places.

Use Mouthwash

Even the most thorough brushing and flossing don’t get your mouth as clean as it can be. Twice daily, swish for 30–60 seconds with an alcohol-free mouthwash made with naturally derived ingredients, such as Thieves Fresh Essence Mouthwash, for fresh breath and clean teeth.

What do you do to keep your smile fresh?