Looking for the perfect smile? Avoid this mistake when it comes to brushing your teeth

The NHS advises people to brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for about two minutes to help keep your teeth and mouth healthy. 

Tooth brushing stops plaque building up, and you should try to make sure you brush every surface of all your teeth. 

But according to one dentist, many people have the technique of brushing their teeth all wrong. 

Celebrity Dentist, Dr Richard Marques says scrubbing your teeth is bad. 

He explained: “Scrubbing your teeth is really bad because you can wear the teeth enamel and/or gums away but electric toothbrushes are wonderful to ensure you don’t do this and have a great cleaning technique. 

“The new Sonicare Diamond Clean Smart editor is amazing – it won’t wear the teeth and gums as it uses vibrations rather than scrubbing motions and the app will also monitor your brushing (like the “fit bit” of oral Healthcare).”

People with good oral health will probably need to attend the dentist for a check up once every 12 to 24 months. 

But when is the best time of year to go? Dr Marques revealed the most popular time people go for their annual check up, whether January is a busy time and when the best time of year to have a check up is. 

Is January a popular time for people to go for their annual check up?

Dr Marques said: “Yes, January is a very popular time for an annual check-up because people are often trying to stick to their New Year’s resolutions, and a resolution many people make is to take care of their health – so not only do gym memberships increase, dental appointments do too.”

Why do more people flock to the dentist in January? 

It is very important to see a dentist in January because people tend to consume more sugar than usual during the festive period, and unhealthy eating in December can mean that teeth are more likely to develop cavities according to Dr Marques. 

He added: “Teeth also often need professional cleaning after eating too much Christmas pudding and drinking more alcohol than usual.”