These three habits are simple, easy , will take virtually no time out of your day and will save you money.

BRUSH

Brush twice a day: in the morning, after breakfast and at night time, before bed. (Don’t eat again after brushing). Night is particularly important as your body produces less saliva at night and saliva is your natural plaque fighter.

Use a regular toothpaste with Fluoride.

FLOSS

Floss at least once a day and ideally twice a day. This removes plaque in between teeth where the toothbrush doesn’t reach. This is where most decay starts, so make it a habit.

AVOID SNACKING

Every time we eat, the acidity level increases causing softening of the enamel and feeding the damaging plaque. It takes our body 2 hours to return the acidity level to normal through the buffering action of saliva. Snacking frequently means we have a high acidity load and greater risk of decay.

By snacking we also mean sugary drinks, the fizzies, power-aids, juices, raros, and energy drinks. These are full of sugar, and are acidic, doubling the risk. Sip or drink water and avoid these drinks. If you really must have them, keep them for an occasional treat, drink the whole glass and follow with a drink of water or sugar free chewing gum. Never wander around sipping on them over a long period of time as this will destroy your teeth.

FINALLY AS A REGULAR HABIT

See your dentist at least yearly. We will actually save you a lot of money by catching early decay and reversing it so you don’t have to face the cost of having fillings. The dentist’s aim is prevention.