Dental Health Week: Tips to Keep Your Smile Bright For Life

by WholeLife | August 3, 2023 | Health & Wellness, Pharmacist Advice

It’s Dental Health Week! What are you doing, or what could you incorporate into your routine, to keep your smile for life?

There’s nothing better than a big, bright, pearly white smile; a smile is a universal language, an expression of joy, and an asset worth protecting! What’s more, protecting your dental health is a crucial element of your overall physical health. Bacteria from the mouth can impact all other parts of your body, and we are continuing to learn more about poor dental health leading to serious health risks such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, oral cancer, respiratory illness (poor lung health), and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

This year, from 7-13 August, the Australian Dental Association is raising awareness of oral health, and the mouth and whole-body connection, with Dental Health Week.

Read on for our top five dental health tips to keep your smile healthy and bright for life!

1. Brush twice, and brush properly!

In Australia, statistics indicate that most of us are brushing twice daily, but about 19% of people report that they’re brushing only once a day. Regular brushing with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush, and a pea-sized amount of fluoride with toothpaste, is a simple way to reduce risk of cavities, and to keep your gums and teeth healthy.

At WholeLife we have a range of products that will help you achieve this, such as the Oral-B Vitality+ Power Brush Floss Action, NFCO Biodegradable Cornstarch Toothbrush, Grants Complete Care Toothpaste with Flouride 110g, and Sensodyne Repair and Protect Toothpaste. Our new range of toothpastes from Hismile also offer some delicious alternative flavours for those don’t like a minty taste!

Don’t forget to brush your tongue too! Bacteria can collect here and travel to other parts of your body.

2. Get into those nooks and crannies

We’re sure you’ve heard this one before—on many occasions—but cleaning between your teeth, or interdental cleaning, is crucial for your overall dental hygiene. Floss, floss, floss! Despite being as important for our teeth as regular, daily brushing, only 25% of Australians report that they floss everyday.

Though flossing is lauded as the most common way of cleaning between your teeth, there are plenty of options these days, including string flosses, interdental brushes, and even electric flossers! At WholeLife we stock a range of dental flosses, including Dr Tung’s Smart Dental Floss which is naturally waxed, sustainably made, and packaged with the planet in mind. Additionally, a range of Piksters Interdental Brushes are available in a variety of sizes, as well as Piksters SupaGrip Flossers. Using these products, you can rest assured there’s nothing trapped between your pearly whites that could lead to decay.

3. Get those pearly whites glowing the natural way!

Teeth whitening has become a popular fad, with a range of products marketed on social media and the internet that claim to keep your smile bright, white, and glowing. While these might help, the best way to enhance the whiteness of your teeth is to consider how your dietary habits might be leading to discolouration.

Coffee, tea, alcohol, and tobacco are some of the most common tooth-staining culprits. The intense pigments in coffee, tea and red wine are called chromogens and these attach to white tooth enamel, causing it to appear darker. In addition, nicotine in tobacco wears down tooth enamel, revealing dentine (the inner layer of the tooth), which is a deeper yellow colour that our enamel usually conceals.

If you’re after a brighter, whiter smile, consider what you’re putting into your body and how you might modify your consumption patterns to keep that smile glowing! If you are interested in whitening treatments, speak to your dentist to find options that are safe, credible, and tailored specifically to you.

4. Sugar, oh honey, honey …

Sweet-tooths, this is for you! While a bit of sugar from time-to-time won’t cause too much harm, moderation is key.

Did you know that in 600ml of soft drink there are, on average, 16 teaspoons of sugar? This is over twice the recommended daily sugar intake for adults. Habitual consumption of sugary drinks like this dramatically increases the risk of tooth erosion and decay.

Enjoy your sweet treats but remember that they are just that—treats.

5. Visit your dentist

An annual check-up with your dentist is an excellent way to get your questions answered, to make sure issues haven’t cropped up, and to get advice that’s tailored specifically to you—and yet, only 13% of us report to have seen our dentists in the past 12 months.

If accessibility is holding you back, why not check out these resources to find out whether you might be eligible for assistance?

Government dental care
Child dental benefits schedule

Your smile is important to us, so this week, alongside the Australian Dental Association, we encourage you to reflect on what more you could do to keep your smile bright for life. Ask your pharmacist at your local WholeLife Pharmacy and Healthfoods which product is right for you. Always read the label and follow directions for use.