Smile please: The best products for a healthy mouth

Dentists recommend we change our toothbrushes every three months

HANNAH BRITT looks at the best products to help you maintain a clean, healthy mouth.

 

TOOTHPASTE 

Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body and helps to protect teeth. Erosion of this enamel occurs daily as acidic food and drink makes teeth vulnerable.

Once this enamel has gone it can’t be replaced, but scientists at Regenerate have created the Enamel Science Advanced Toothpaste (£10 from Boots), which coats teeth in a thin layer of the same mineral that makes enamel. Suitable for the whole family, brushing twice daily helps restore this protective layer. 

 

When the interdental spaces are very tight, floss can be the most effective way of removing plaque

MOUTHWASH 

Plaque, a mass of bacteria that grows between the teeth, is the number one cause of cavities and can cause bad breath too. Using mouthwash after flossing and brushing can help remove existing plaque and stop more forming.

Colgate Cavity Protection Mouthwash (£4, Tesco) contains new oral technology which targets plaque and neutralises sugar acids in the mouth. 

SILICONE TOOTHBRUSH

Dentists recommend we change our toothbrushes every three months because the bristles flatten and become less effective. But this advice is often ignored. Bacteria also collect on the brush head, making it increasingly unhygienic.

A silicone toothbrush, such as the Foreo Issa brush (£149, foreo.com) is easy to clean and prevents bacteria build-up on the brush head. The gentle bristles don’t flatten and they massage gums without being abrasive, which helps to prevent gum recession. 

 

ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH

We should brush our teeth for two minutes, twice a day but many of us don’t know how to brush properly or if we do, don’t do it for long enough. The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean (£250, philips.co.uk) does the hard work for you.

Splitting your mouth into four sections, a 30-second interval timer will tell you when to move on to the next quadrant. The brush removes up to seven times more plaque than a manual toothbrush, can be placed into sensitive mode to gently clean gums and comes with an innovative glass charger. 

FLOSSER

Some of the bacterial plaque that forms between your teeth is impossible to reach with a regular toothbrush. This plaque should be removed regularly, as it can cause gingivitis (gum inflammation), cavities and bad breath.

When the interdental spaces are very tight, floss can be the most effective way of removing plaque. A pre-loaded holder such as the TePe Mini Flosser (£2.59 for a pack of 36, chemistdirect.co.uk) has a small handle for easy flossing. 

BREATH FRESHENER

Bad breath is usually caused by a group of anaerobic bacteria that breeds beneath the tongue’s surface and in the throat and tonsil area when the mouth is dry. A normal fl ow of saliva will usually eliminate bad breath but if your mouth is dry, Mouth Wetting Lozenges by The Breath Co. (£8.99, boots.com) may do the trick.

They stimulate saliva production to eliminate your dry mouth, have a citrusmint flavour to get rid of any unpleasant tastes in the mouth and contain zinc, oxygen and xylitol to attack the germs that are known to cause bad breath.