A dentist has revealed the three golden rules for maintaining a healthy mouth and achieving a sparkling smile. In a TikTok video, Dr Shaadi Manouchehri says these tips will not only protect your teeth and gums but also help to ward off cavities and gum disease.
Firstly, she advocates the use of an electric toothbrush, saying: “Brush twice a day for two minutes, brush before breakfast, not afterwards, and last thing at night.” The dental expert also emphasises the necessity of cleaning between the teeth with either floss or a water flosser. She warns: “It’s the number one place where cavities form.
“If you’re brushing and not flossing, you’re missing out on a lot.”
Lastly, she instructs: “I want you to use a tongue scraper every single day to clean what’s left on your tongue. The number one reason for bad breath is bacteria on the tongue, and cleaning it with a toothbrush is just not good enough.”
She further explains that you simply need to scrape it across your tongue “once or twice” before rinsing it, ready to use again next time. “You do this twice a day after you’ve brushed your teeth,” she added.
Reacting to her post, one user commented: “I have never heard not to brush your teeth after breakfast. I 100 per cent recommend you brush your teeth after breakfast.”
Another user confessed: “I didn’t floss at all when I was younger and none of my cavities were between my teeth.”
One user confessed: “I hardly brushed for four years – thank God I had no cavities. Aiming to brush and floss every day now!”
Another chimed in: “Not enough for me. I have to water floss, floss, brush twice a day and then a Sulcabrush.”
Wondering what to look for in a toothbrush?
The NHS advises, “it doesn’t matter whether you use an electric or manual toothbrush”.
Their statement reads: “They’re both equally good, as long as you clean all the surfaces of all your teeth and you use fluoride toothpaste. But some people find it easier to clean their teeth thoroughly with an electric toothbrush.
“For most adults, a toothbrush with a small head and a compact, angled arrangement of long and short round-end bristles is fine. Medium or soft bristles are best for most people.
“But making sure you thoroughly clean your teeth at least twice a day is more important than the type of brush you use. If in doubt, ask a dental healthcare professional.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
