September is Colgate Oral Health Month and this year Colgate, in partnership with the British Dental Association (BDA), will be showing the Great British public that looking after your mouth is a key component of a healthy lifestyle, whatever your age.
When people consider their health they tend to focus on exercise and healthy eating but it’s equally important to their wellbeing to look after their mouths.
Developing lifelong healthy habits is as relevant to our mouths as it is for the rest of our body and it’s never too early to start.
Childhood
Get children used to a daily oral care routine. By combining a healthy diet with a regular oral hygiene routine, you are setting them up for a healthy mouth in adulthood. Restrict the consumption of sugary foods to mealtimes and avoid fizzy drinks and sugary snacks between meals.
Children who from a young age are used to brushing their own teeth with fluoride toothpaste are much more likely to continue to do so as adults, and less likely to develop tooth decay. An adult should supervise brushing in children up to the age of six, and try to make sure that brushing is a fun activity and not a chore.
Teens
Many parents of teenagers will experience a clear ‘closed door policy’ on bedrooms and bathrooms so ensuring that they are keeping their dental regime up to scratch can be difficult. As teenagers become more independent reminding them of the benefits of fresh breath and the attraction of a healthy smile is more likely to make them look after their mouths.
Adulthood
As adults we still need to look after our teeth.
Regardless of age, the advice given on diet and oral hygiene in childhood still holds true. With this in mind, here is sound advice to help you keep those teeth healthy.
- If you are aware of any problems please seek advice from a dental professional
- Make sure you visit your dentist regularly so you are always giving your teeth a good check over
- If you feel you’ve neglected your mouth so far, there’s no better time to start than now. Remember, you will always benefit from the following simple Colgate Oral Health Month messages:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste
- Replace your toothbrush every 3 months
- Avoid sugary snacks between meals
