What's your oral care routine?

From a young age we're taught to take care of our teeth, so to find out more about our daily routines, Listerine® asked Gransnet users to share their oral care tips and tricks. From the food and drinks gransnetters avoid to the dental advice they'd give to their younger self, here are their answers. You never know, you may just pick up some invaluable new knowledge to help your own oral care routine...

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1. Keep products in view so you don't forget them

"My teeth are so much better since using an electric toothbrush. I use a sensitive toothpaste and have to have mouthwash in a very prominent position or I forget to use it. I'm quite good at keeping regular dental appointments, although I hate going." 

2. Limit acidic drinks 

"Advice to my younger self? Don't drink as much strong coffee and lemon in hot water. I was too busy concentrating on the healthy 'flushing out' of my body and ignored the acid ruining my tooth enamel. I now do less of both and always clean teeth as soon as possible afterwards and don't wait until night time."

3. Visit the dentist (and take care between appointments)

"I always visit my dentist twice a year and in between times I floss or use the interdental brushes daily as well as two good two minute sessions with an electric toothbrush. I brush before food, not for 40 minutes after as I was told that brushing after food can harm the enamel which is a little softer and more porous after eating."

4. Time your tooth brushing

"We have one of those egg timers that have a sucker pad on it so you just turn it upside down - I got it years ago when our son was little from the dentist. We all use it as when our son first used it I realised we all had not been spending enough time brushing!"

5. Establish a daily routine

"I brush for two minutes twice a day using an electric toothbrush and a quick minute before going to bed. I also use interdental brushes twice a day to release any food that may be trapped. I use mouthwash twice a day - morning and night."

6. Cut back on the sweet stuff

"The advice I would give my younger self would be not to develop such a sweet tooth, not to neglect regular dental check-ups and to pay more attention to dental health in general. I have always had poor general health so I would also make people more aware that a lot of medicines, tonics etc. can be quite 'sugary' or stick to your teeth, so to brush teeth after taking some of them too."

7. Don't forget about your tongue

"Every morning and evening, I brush my teeth for the set two minutes with my electric toothbrush, and then I brush my tongue with a normal toothbrush. I also find that the roof of my mouth also needs brushing. Using Listerine® mouthwash has always left my mouth feeling refreshed."

8. Multi-task while you brush

"I brush my teeth for two minutes (while I try to see how long I can balance on one leg at the same time)."

Upgrade your oral care routine

LISTERINE® is the number 1 mouthwash brand* in Great Britain. While brushing does help to take care of your oral health, brushing just your teeth only targets 25% of your mouth**, LISTERINE® mouthwash targets virtually 100%. The LISTERINE® formula is made from four essential oils*** that combine to pack a powerful punch against hard-to-reach plaque and germs that can cause bad breath.

*Source ©2019 Nielsen data, value and unit share, Mouthwash (client defined) 52 w/e 04.05.19 GB Total Coverage

**From study representing teeth surface area measurements

*** Excludes; Listerine Advanced Defence Gum Treatment, Listerine Advanced Defence Sensitive, Listerine Advanced White and Listerine Go! Tabs.”

UK/LI/19-13725d

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