My Dental Care Routine for Healthy, White Teeth

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Dental care is something I didn’t pay much attention to when I was younger. I would brush my teeth in the morning and evening, but that was about as far as my dental care routine went. I never used to floss my teeth despite my dentist’s advice. Luckily, I never had any major problems with my teeth. However, I came to realise that if I wanted to keep it that way, I needed to start paying more attention to my dental care.

Over the past few years, I have gone through various stages of experimentation with trying different products and methods for keeping my teeth and gums clean and healthy. I wasn’t sure whether these changes were making a difference, until I recently got some glowing feedback when I visited the hygienist.

I am pleased to say that the hygienist told me I was doing really well with my dental care routine. She said I have hardly any plaque and that my teeth are really white, and that I should keep doing what I am doing. Even the dental nurse agreed and commented on how white my teeth were. So, I thought I would share with you my current dental care routine in this post, because it is clearly working!

I must state that I am not a health expert. You should go to your dentist if you have any concerns about your dental health. In this post, I will just be sharing what works for me, in case you want to replicate any of my routine or tips.

My Dental Care Routine for Healthy, White Teeth

In the morning

I always have a shower first thing in the morning. While I am doing this I ‘oil pull’ using sesame oil. If you haven’t heard of it before, oil pulling is a natural remedy where you swish vegetable oil around in your mouth for at least 5 minutes and it supposedly removes dirt and bacteria from your teeth. It is also said to help whiten your teeth. There is debate over whether this method actually works, but I figured there is no harm in trying it because it doesn’t take any time out of my routine.

After my shower, I spit out the oil and rinse my mouth out with water. Then I brush my teeth using a fluoride free toothpaste. There is debate over whether it is better to brush your teeth before or after breakfast, and I choose to brush them both before and after! However, I choose to use a fluoride-free toothpaste before breakfast because a) I won’t be exposed to so much fluoride in a short period of time and b) any fluoride would soon get washed off my teeth when I have breakfast so it wouldn’t have much time to work.

I have breakfast after brushing my teeth, and then I wait around an hour before brushing my teeth again, this time with fluoride toothpaste. The reason I wait an hour is that apparently the tooth’s enamel is weaker after meals, and can get worn down over time if you brush straight away.

I usually use a manual toothbrush, but I do also have an electric one that I sometimes use. I also use a small interdental brush to clean behind my wisdom teeth because there are pockets there that could collect food particles. This may not be necessary for you!

In the afternoon

In the mid afternoon, I use mouthwash. I choose to do this in the afternoon because it is away from the times when I brush my teeth, so it spreads out the application of fluoride to my teeth.

I admit that I sometimes forget to use mouthwash, especially if I am out during the afternoon. I’d say that I use mouthwash on at least 2 out of 3 days.

In the evening

I usually eat my evening meal at around 6pm. Like in the morning, I wait for at least an hour after my meal, usually longer, before I brush my teeth. I rarely eat or drink anything else after my evening meal, so I brush my teeth sometime between 7.30 and 10pm and I only consume water after that.

Related post: My Bedtime Routine For A Good Night’s Sleep

For my evening tooth brushing, I use a fluoride toothpaste and then I use my interdental brush again. After that I floss my teeth. I used to hate flossing, but I finally got into the habit of it around 4 years ago and I would never go back. My teeth feel so much cleaner after I floss, and I highly recommend flossing if you don’t already.

The Dental Care Products I Use

These are the products I am currently using in my dental care routine, although I do sometimes switch them up when they run out.

Regenerate Advanced Toothpaste

Regenerate Advanced Foaming Mouthwash

Ben & Anna Natural Toothpaste – Whitening (this is the toothpaste I use before breakfast)

Dr. Bauers Expanding Dental Floss

Oral-B Electric Toothbrush (this link is for the newer version of the toothbrush I have)

The Panda Brush Bamboo Toothbrush (this is the toothbrush I am currently using but I do change my toothbrush every few months. I switch between lots of different brands including bamboo toothbrushes and regular plastic ones)

TEPE Interspace Soft Angled Toothbrush

Spry Natural Xylitol Gum

Additional Dental Care Tips

Drink water after meals

After meals, I nearly always drink a large glass of water. When I’m drinking it, I swish it around my mouth to dislodge any food that is in my teeth. This helps my mouth to feel a lot cleaner even before I brush my teeth.

Related post: How To Drink More Water If You Struggle To Drink Enough

Chew xylitol gum

When I’ve finished my drink of water, I often chew a piece of xylitol gum. I make sure to choose a gum that is sugar-free and doesn’t contain harmful artificial additives. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that has been shown to reduce tooth decay by killing harmful bacteria in your mouth. Chewing gum also encourages the production of saliva which helps to clean and protect the teeth.

Minimise tea and coffee

Tea and coffee can be major culprits in staining your teeth. I think one of the main reasons that my teeth are so white is because I rarely drink tea and coffee, apart from the occasional herbal tea. I mostly drink a lot of water.

Eat a healthy diet

It’s widely known that sugary foods and ‘white carbs’ are damaging to the teeth, so it’s best to limit those. By eating a healthy diet, you will make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need to build strong and healthy teeth. My diet is by no means perfect, but I do try to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables and save sugary foods for special occasions.

Related post: Healthy Kale and Quinoa One-Pot Meal

Limit snacking

Snacking throughout the day increases the number of ‘acid attacks’ on your teeth. I usually eat 3 meals a day, and I try to eat plenty during those mealtimes so that I’m less likely to get hungry between meals and be tempted to snack.

What’s your dental care routine?

I hope this post has been helpful for you and that you have picked up some tips to add to your dental care routine. Again, I must emphasise that I am not a healthcare expert, and I don’t know specifically which of these steps and products have contributed to me having healthy, white teeth. But this overall routine seems to be working well for me.

I’d love to hear about your dental care routine. Do you follow similar steps to me, or is your routine totally different? Do you brush your teeth before or after breakfast, or both? What are your favourite dental care products? Let me know in the comments below!