16 most interesting things you should know about your teeth

The tongue works the same as our fingerprints – no two tongues are the same.

Flossing is not an optional extra to the daily cleaning routine. If you miss flossing or floss just once or twice a week then you risk missing out on over 40% of general mouth cleaning. Flossing allows for deeper cleaning in between the teeth in places where the toothbrush can’t reach.

One in four brits admit that they don’t floss their teeth! Eeek!

The recommended brushing time for our teeth is two minutes twice a day. Therefore, you should spend the recommended 1,460 minutes per year brushing your teeth!

Toothbrushes should be replaced every 3 months! Electric toothbrushes have replaceable heads (unless told otherwise) which need to changed every 3 months. Whereas, manual toothbrushes need to be thrown away to make way for new ones. The reason for this is due to bacteria and the upkeep needed for brush bristles. It ensures that you are using the best possible tool to brush your teeth.

¼ of adults admit they have not visited a dentist in the past 2 years.

Drinking fizzy drinks can drastically alter your smile. Fizzy drinks contain a huge amount of sugar along with different types of acid which wear away your tooth enamel and create tooth discolouration from the additives.

Mouthwash should be used as an addition to your daily cleaning routine and not as a replacement for cleaning. Only 31% of adults use mouthwash! Mouthwash works to further reduce the build-up of plaque and bacteria in the mouth. There are certain mouthwashes that have certain purposes for example some are used for whitening and others contain medications to reduce inflammation and act as an antibacterial solutions.

Around 2% of the population have never visited a dentist. The recommended dental visits are around every 6 months.

66% of people have visible plaque on their teeth. Sometimes plaque cannot be seen but can be felt. Have you ever felt a film over your teeth that you feel you can scrape off? This is plaque and this is the dangerous plaque that eats away at your tooth enamel.

Nearly half of the population are unhappy with their smile. Most problems are related to the whiteness of the teeth and the shape of their teeth.

From 2010-2016 there had been an obvious increase in children being admitted to hospital with tooth decay. The figures show around 20% increase which is a huge amount of children that have had an increase tooth decay. Tooth decay is a huge problem in adult life but it can be rectified by a recommended oral routine.