1st January 2026
Hello, 2026! January is the perfect opportunity to start fresh with a healthy oral hygiene routine. Setting health-focused resolutions is always a positive step, and the benefits you’ll enjoy can make your new year even brighter.
Below, we’ll explore how to improve the health of your teeth and gums, along with some top tips for maintaining a healthy, bright smile and keep your new years resolution for your dental health.
Tooth brushing alone removes approximately 40% to 60% of plaque from the surfaces of your teeth, leaving a significant amount, especially in hard-to-reach areas.
Our Dentists at Dartford Road Dental Centre recommend adding interdental brushes and floss to your daily routine from age 12 and up, helping you reach areas your toothbrush might miss and remove the extra 40% of plaque your brush is missing.
Your dental hygienist can provide guidance on the best technique for cleaning between your teeth to ensure you’re reaching those hard-to-access areas.
New to flossing? When you first begin cleaning in between your teeth, your gums may feel tender and bleed slightly. This is common and should improve as your gums become healthier, so it’s important to keep it up! However, if the bleeding continues after a few days, book a visit with our wonderful hygiene team.
Eat HealthyFood Is essential in keeping our bodies fuelled and active, but did you know that when you consume sugary food or drinks, your teeth come under acid attack for up to an hour? This happens because sugar reacts with the bacteria in plaque (the sticky film on your teeth) and produces harmful acids. To reduce the risk, it’s advisable to keep sugary food and drinks to a minimum and consume them at mealtimes only, limiting how often your teeth are exposed to these acidic periods.
A simple act of changing your diet from sugary snacks to fresh fruit and vegetables can help protect you against gum disease and decay. Calcium-rich foods like yogurt, cheese, and low-fat or fat-free milk are also recommended by your Dentist to support strong teeth and bones.
Despite this knowledge, nearly half of UK adults (44%) say they have never changed their diet to protect their oral health.
For further information about changing your diet to protect your teeth, please visit Rethink Your Diet: Impact on Oral Health
Dry January is a well-known initiative led by the UK charity Alcohol Change UK, which encourages our adult population to give up alcohol for the entire month of January to reset their relationship with alcohol.
The challenge offers benefits such as improved sleep, increased energy, better concentration, weight loss, lower blood pressure, and reduced risk of diabetes and some cancers.
But did you know alcohol can also affect your oral health? Let us explain how.
Alcoholic beverages are generally acidic, with levels typically ranging from ph3.0 to ph5.0 When bacteria in the mouth interact with acids found in alcohol, they produce lactic acid, which can weaken and erode tooth enamel. Acidic substances tend to stick to the teeth, thus making your teeth more vulnerable to acid damage and decay.
Alcopops are the worst offenders as the sugar content is so high, but beer, wine and liqueurs are also filled with hidden sugars.
Alcohol is linked to just under a third (30%) of all mouth cancers.
Excessive alcohol is one of the main risk factors that can cause mouth cancer. Smoking and alcohol together greatly increase the risk. Our dentists complete an oral cancer check as standard at your 6-monthly examinations. In-between appointments, check for ulcers that have not healed within 3 weeks and unusual red or white patches. Contact us if you are concerned.
14 units per week is the weekly limit for both men and women to keep health risks low.
Alcohol consumption interferes with cognitive and motor skills, leading to increased risk-taking behaviour, which directly correlates with a higher chance of involvement in dangerous situations. This can result in trauma to the face and teeth. Opening bottles with your teeth can also cause enamel fractures and cracked and broken teeth, so always use a bottle opener!
Red wine contains tannins, and these pigments stick to the enamel on our teeth.
It’s well known that red wine stains your teeth, but other beverages such as beer, coffee liqueurs, and some cocktails are also guilty of staining teeth. This happens when the acidity in the alcoholic drink makes our tooth enamel porous, creating a surface where stains can penetrate and bind.
Our Hygienists at Dartford Road Dental Centre offer a stain-removing process called airflow – read more about it by clicking this link – https://www.drdc.co.uk/treatments/general-dentistry/hygiene/
One in five UK citizens only brushes their teeth once a day.
We encourage our patients in Dartford to brush their teeth twice a day for 2 minutes using a fluoride toothpaste. We also encourage patients to ‘spit and don’t rinse’ as this method retains the fluoride in the mouth as it continues to be effective.
Our amazing team of Dentists and Hygienists recommends brushing your teeth last thing before you go to bed, as night-time brushing is the most important, and on 1 other occasion. Most patients brush in the morning before work or school.
Electric or manual toothbrushes are equally good, as long as you are using the correct technique and clean all the surfaces of all your teeth. Some people find it easier to clean their teeth more thoroughly with an electric toothbrush as the toothbrush does all the work!
Stay HydratedOur bodies contain 50-70% water, so it’s important to stay hydrated!
When your mouth dries out, there isn’t enough saliva to consistently wash bacteria away from your teeth. As a result, it can increase the risk of cavities and bad breath.
Our saliva acts as a buffer. Saliva buffering is the process by which saliva neutralizes acids in the mouth, protecting teeth from decay by maintaining a stable pH.
Prevention is key, and we do most of the hard work at home, but we all need a helping hand when it comes to tar-tar. Hygienists have specialist tools to remove hardened plaque (calculus) which we can not do. Hygienists also take measurements of your gum health and have an abundance of knowledge when it comes to keeping our gums healthy.
Between hygiene visits we need to maintain good oral hygiene. This involves getting the right oral care products, as well as being mindful of your daily habits.
Hygienists can also remove stubborn stains as mentioned before, using our polishing instruments or airflow.
Book online via https://booking.uk.hsone.app/soe/new/Dartford%20Road%20Dental%20Centre?pid=UKDTF02
Or call our amazing team on 01322 223 927
We are happy to help if you have any questions or concerns - get in touch today with our easy to use contact form. Our friendly team is waiting to hear from you!
Areas we serve include Dartford, Crayford and surrounding areas
When to visit
We have early opening hours!
Monday 8.15am - 7pm (late evening appointment only)
Tuesday - Thursday 8.15am - 5.30pm
Friday 8.15am - 1.45pm
Saturday 9am - 1.45pm (appointment only)