1. Buy a great toothbrush

A toothbrush is an essential tool for cleaning teeth. While flossing and mouthwash are also important, you can’t scrub away large amounts of bacteria without a quality brush. Many people assume that all toothbrushes are created equal, but that just isn’t true. According to studies, electric toothbrushes are much more effective at removing plaque than manual models. If you can’t afford an electric toothbrush right now, make sure that your brush is at least soft-bristled and change it regularly.  Some toothbrushes can even help with whitening your teeth. 

2. Use the right technique

The way you brush your teeth is incredibly important. Contrary to popular belief, scrubbing your teeth aggressively won’t clean them any better. In fact, brushing your teeth hard will likely cause more damage. You must apply enough pressure that the gums start to turn a lighter colour, but never any harder than that. Make sure to hold your brush at a forty-five-degree angle, aiming the bristles at the gum line. When you begin brushing use small strokes, focusing on a single tooth. 

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3. Brush your tongue too

Plaque will build up on the tongue, just like it does the teeth. This can easily lead to bad breath, along with serious oral health problems. That is why you must brush your tongue whenever you brush your teeth. Rather than scrubbing the tongue, you should gently brush or scrape it. Many toothbrushes nowadays have a ridged tooth-scraper, which you can find this on the back of the brush. Brushing the tongue will banish any bacteria and freshen your breath in the process. 

4. Remember that nightly clean

We all know we should brush our teeth twice each day, once in the morning and once at night. Most people don’t want to go out with bad breath, which is why most of us remember to clean our teeth when we wake up. Without this motivation at night, the essential activity is sometimes overlooked. Missing that nightly clean could easily cause cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. If you tend to forget to brush your teeth before bed, try setting a daily alarm as a reminder. 

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5. Get them straightened out

Crooked teeth are a much larger problem than most people realise. Crowded teeth make a great breeding ground for bacteria, which means that having your teeth straightened will prevent decay. If you don't fancy being stuck with braces for years, you should look at other options. Fast braces work much faster than traditional braces while achieving the same results. Although many people assume that braces are for teenagers, even adults can seek out orthodontic help. 

6. Change the toothbrush often

Although a brilliant cleaning tool, a toothbrush will only work for so long. Bristles can deteriorate over time, especially if you brush quite aggressively. This will make your brush less effective at removing bacteria. What’s more, bacteria can easily cling to whatever bristles are left, which means that they will be transferred back into your mouth when cleaning your teeth. The best fix for these issues is to change your brush. Most experts suggest doing so every three months. 

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7. Stop snacking all day

Snacking on sugary foods throughout the day is far more damaging than eating the same amount of sugar in one sitting. This is because your teeth will be constantly coated in a sugary film, which will contribute to tooth decay. What’s worse is snacking after brushing your teeth at night. Although brushing will remove any food particles from the day, eating after brushing will mean having to clean again. If you don’t, you are essentially providing food for the bacteria to eat.  Instead, at least snack on foods that are good for teeth.

8. Drink plenty of water

Water is the healthiest drink by far, both for your smile and body overall. Acidic and sugary drinks will increase your risk of tooth decay significantly, while drinking water will flush your teeth clean. Because of this, you should keep a supply of bottled water in your home office. If you tend to drink coffee to carry you through busy workdays, make sure you follow each coffee with a sip of water. This will not only cure bad coffee breath but clean your teeth and prevent staining too. 

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9. Kick that smoking habit

Many busy business people turn to unhealthy habits to relax. Smoking is just one example in a very long list. While everyone knows that smoking is damaging, few people realise the extent of the harm it can do. Along with superficial damage, smoking will increase your risk of developing gum disease and cancer. Even if you manage to avoid this, your gums are still likely to recede. Kicking a smoking habit isn’t easy, but there is plenty of support and advice out there to help you and it’s worth it for a million reasons.

10. Attend regular dental checks

Having a busy schedule is no excuse for cancelling dentist appointments. Even when looking after your teeth, you must still have them looked at by an expert. After all, many serious issues can go unnoticed unless you do. Most appointments last no longer than half an hour, so there are no excuses not to go. If you’re especially busy, you could even book your check-up for during a lunch break. Most dental experts recommend seeing a dentist every six months or so.  Suffer from dentophobia?  Check out these helpful tips for how to not be scared at the dentist.

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Final thoughts

Oral hygiene is important for every area of life, even work. Without a friendly and confident smile, you might struggle to make professional connections and grow your business. Maintaining healthy teeth requires some commitment, but the advice above should make that much easier, or why not treat yourself to a professional smile makeover?