The start of autumn brings with it many beloved seasonal treats: golden hues, crunchy leaves underfoot, warm wardrobes, and, perhaps most consistently, the consumption of sweets! As the colder months set in, it’s hardly surprising that we stock up on sugary goodness to keep us warm and energised, and there’s no lack of delicious treats to be found. From halloween candies to pumpkin spiced lattes, sugar becomes practically irresistible. However, higher sugar intake can be followed by less welcome side-effects, such as toothache and tooth decay.

Thankfully there are ways to ensure your teeth stay clean and healthy without barring sugar altogether, so that you can happily munch your way through to the new year. Follow our tips below to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Rinse!

For an immediate clean feeling, a simple solution to keeping sugar off your tooth surface is to give your mouth a quick rinse with a fluoride mouthwash after sugary snacks. This washes excess sugar off your teeth and blocks it from settling and forming plaque.

Brush More Often

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day, but if you find your sugar consumption soaring it doesn’t hurt to give them a little extra clean after a sugary session. Sugar can temporarily soften the enamel on your teeth, so it’s best to wait around 30 minutes after eating or drinking before brushing. If you find yourself absent-mindedly nibbling on sugary snacks at work or out and about, try our Sonisk Pulse portable sonic toothbrush, which can be carried safely and hygienically and give you the quick clean you need to get the sugar off the surface of your teeth.

Use a Straw

When you’re drinking sugary or carbonated drinks from a glass, the first surface the liquid touches is your teeth. Avoid too much direct contact with sugar by using a straw, which allows your drink to bypass your teeth whilst still hitting all those sweet taste buds on your tongue. Use a reusable or paper straw to protect the environment as well as your teeth!

Increase Your Saliva

Saliva is our natural mouthwash, helping to wash away sugars and acids that sit on our teeth after eating and drinking. Make sure to stay hydrated by regularly drinking water to ensure you have enough saliva, and try chewing sugarfree gum to help further stimulate your saliva production.

Word to the Wise

It is a common misconception that some sugars are better than others for your teeth. Tooth decay is caused by bacteria in the mouth, which feeds on sugar and erodes the protective enamel on your teeth. It might seem that eating an apple would be better than a chocolate bar, but the bacteria can’t tell the difference, and will thrive on any kind of sugar. So go forth and eat treats, but make sure you follow the tips above to keep your mouth clean and sugar-free for healthier, happier teeth and gums.

Anyone who’s ever suffered from toothache knows how frustrating and unrelenting the pain can be. Toothaches range from sharp and intermittent to constant and gnawing, and can be a disturbance to your daily routine. Aside from physical discomfort, it can also be inconvenient and expensive to go to a dentist for something which might be cured with a simple home treatment. Try our suggestions below to find relief from mild toothache from the comfort of your own home:

Ice it

Ice is a classic pain reliever due to its numbing properties. To relieve toothache, try holding an icecube in the affected area of your mouth. Do not chew on the ice, as it can cause damage to your teeth. If the cold is too intense, try filling your mouth with ice water and holding it for a few moments before spitting it out, or create a cold compress by wetting a flannel and putting it in the freezer until it’s cold (but not frozen) and holding this against your teeth.

Salt-Water Rinse

Salt is a natural disinfectant and can help to reduce inflammation by clearing out infection. Try dissolving half a teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water and then use it to gargle as you would with your regular mouthwash.

Chew on Garlic

Although notorious for creating strong breath odours, garlic is actually a powerful pain reliever with strong antibacterial properties. If you’re feeling brave, try chewing on a segment of raw garlic with your sore tooth or teeth. If you prefer a milder option, soak a cotton ball in garlic oil and set it against your troublesome tooth for a strong localised pain reliever.

Elevate Your Head

When you lie down flat, the blood pressure in your head increases, causing heightened feelings of pain that can stop you from sleeping. If your toothache is particularly bothersome at night, try piling up your pillows and keeping your head in an elevated position.

Over the Counter Medications

If natural remedies aren’t working for you, try a painkiller such as aspirin or ibuprofen. These counteract inflammation and can bring relief to tooth pain.

Don’t Stop Brushing

Tenderness on your teeth or gums might make you want to avoid brushing your teeth and making contact with sore areas, but this will only make the problem worse! If you don’t brush your teeth, bacteria can build up and create plaque and tartar which erode the surface of your teeth and cause decay. If your teeth are feeling sensitive, opt for an electric or sonic toothbrush, which gives your tooth surface a gentle but consistent clean. Try out our portable electric Sonisk Pulse toothbrush, which gives gentle sonic vibrations to keep your teeth clean without provoking sensitive areas.

Remember! If your toothache persists after trying all the above tips it may be a sign of a more serious issue, so make sure to book an appointment with your dentist to get to the root of the problem.

What is tartar?

When bacteria in the mouth mixes with food particles, it creates a film over the teeth known as plaque. Over time, plaque hardens and becomes discoloured, creating tartar. Aside from being unsightly, tartar also leads to tooth decay by eroding the enamel on the surface of the teeth. 

How can I reduce tartar buildup?

Reducing plaque is the best way to keep tartar buildup under control. The most effective way to stop plaque from forming is to maintain a regular dental hygiene routine: brush, floss, and rinse. Carefully brushing your teeth twice a day helps to reduce plaque, stopping tartar from forming at its early stages. Some studies show that sonic toothbrushes reduce tartar more effectively than manual toothbrushes by giving teeth a deeper clean in all the harder-to-reach areas in the mouth where tartar can form. For on-the-go oral maintenance, try out our Sonisk Pulse Portable sonic toothbrush, which can be carried in your bag for quick cleaning after meals, reducing the bacteria and food particles sitting in your mouth throughout the day.

Getting rid of tartar

Unfortunately, even if you maintain good oral hygiene, there may still be a buildup of tartar on your teeth. If you already have ongoing signs of tartar on your teeth, such as hard brown deposits between your teeth or along your gum line, there are some simple solutions you can use to reduce tartar without having to go for professional tartar removal, known as scaling. Try out some of these simple treatments to reduce tartar at home and avoid a pricey scaling appointment.

Baking Soda

Baking soda not only helps to clean tartar off teeth but has the additional benefit of whitening qualities, too. Pour some baking soda onto a wet toothbrush and gently brush onto your teeth, then leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing. Try this method once daily to fight tartar buildup and achieve sparkling, white teeth.

White Vinegar

A natural wonder cleaning product, white vinegar has been shown to remove tartar buildup when regularly gargled. Mix two tablespoons into a glass of salty water and use this to gargle once a day to see a visible reduction in tartar buildup.

Orange Peels

Peel an orange and use the inside part (the white bit) to rub along your teeth and gums. Vitamin C cuts through tartar and plaque buildup and has the added benefit of being antimicrobial, battling not only against tartar and plaque, but also the bacteria which help to create them.

If your teeth show no signs of improvement after using these methods, you may have a heavy buildup which needs professional scaling. In this case, the best thing you can do for your teeth is to have them seen to by a dentist or oral hygienist, and once they’ve been treated and are tartar-free, follow the advice above to avoid future buildup.