In the age of digital touch-ups and professional social media smiles, it’s easy for dental insecurity to sneak up on you.
The health of your teeth and gums has a much greater impact on daily life than most people realise, affecting sociability, employability, and overall quality of life. They’re a key factor in how you present yourself and how others perceive you, so investing in proper care is well worth it.
Bespoke Smile is a holistic expert in all things teeth. Between their world-renowned founder, Dr Sam Jethwa, and a highly qualified, star-studded team of published authors, industry award nominees, and respected educators, they regularly observe how good dental hygiene habits boost our patients' confidence.
This is a collection of the Bespoke crew’s best tips for a brighter smile that will help you beam with self-assurance and help you feel like a more authentic version of yourself.
Tip #1: Master the basics with the right technique
Brushing might seem like a simple place to start, but as the foundation of smile maintenance, it’s important not to overlook the details.
Brushing your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, remains the best way to maintain oral hygiene. Overbrushing can erode your enamel through friction, and underbrushing gives plaque a chance to build up, which can cause a myriad of issues from tooth decay to gum disease.
It’s also worth considering your toothbrush choice, as tough bristles and aggressive brushing have been linked to enamel and gum damage. For the best results from your daily brush, use gentle pressure and fluoride toothpaste.
Dr Jethwa’s expert advice is to brush one tooth at a time for 3-5 seconds, gently covering the entire tooth, including the gumline.
Tip#2: Don’t skip the small things like flossing
Research suggests that only 31% of Brits floss on a typical day, and 20% report never flossing. These are concerning statistics: brushing alone cleans only about 60% of the tooth surface, assuming you follow the guidance in tip #1.
Yes, flossing is an extra step in a busy morning routine and can be somewhat uncomfortable if you aren’t used to the sensation or aren’t using the right technique, but it’s essential for a brighter, healthier smile.
Here are just some of the ways regular flossing can improve your oral health:
• It reduces the risk of cavities and decay by removing food particles and plaque that brushing alone cannot reach.
• It lowers your risk of gum disease by removing debris that can cause irritation and inflammation.
• It helps your breath stay minty fresh by removing potentially pungent particles.
To prevent staining and inflammation, floss daily. If you experience gum bleeding after flossing, don’t worry: As Dr Jethwa notes, “Bleeding gums are often a sign that interdental cleaning has been neglected, not that flossing is causing damage. With consistent cleaning, bleeding usually reduces as the gums become healthier”.
Tip #3: Watch what you eat and drink
One area people struggle most with when improving dental hygiene is changing their diet. Sugary and acidic foods are addictive and delicious, and many provide health benefits when consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. You don’t have to avoid these food groups entirely to achieve a brighter smile, but you should evaluate your consumption choices carefully.
Tea, coffee, red wine, and dark acidic drinks like cola are commonly understood to cause tooth staining, but some lesser-known examples include:
• Curry
Spices such as turmeric and paprika are used to season many curries and give them a deeper, more vibrant colour. They can have the same dyeing effect on your teeth!
• Berries
Berries are both incredibly high in sugar and colourful pigments that can stain your teeth if you eat too much.
• Beetroot
Though very nutritious, beetroot’s deep red juices can stain your teeth as much as they stain your chopping board.
Some people’s teeth will be more sensitive to staining than others, and a lot of these ingredients and foods are still great for your overall health. Practising good smile maintenance means you can still eat them, while minimising the damage they can cause, so don’t treat this as a list of foods to stay away from.
The Bespoke Smile team recommends rinsing your mouth with water after eating or drinking acidic foods or beverages. They also suggest waiting 30 minutes to an hour before brushing after consuming them, to allow saliva to neutralise the mouth's pH and protect your enamel.
Tip #4: Professional cleanings make a real difference
Even those who brush their teeth properly twice a day, floss, and carefully monitor their diet can benefit from professional aid. Some issues cannot be treated at home and require specialist equipment and expertise.
Plaque that isn’t entirely removed can harden into calculus, often called tartar, which can’t be removed with brushing alone. It usually forms along the gumline and can lead to conditions such as gingivitis if left untreated. Professional cleaning helps remedy common dental issues and has a noticeable impact on aesthetics, removing buildups that dull your smile and restoring your teeth’s natural whiteness and brightness.
Preventive care is more effective at reducing the impact of health problems and is cheaper over time than restorative treatments. Regular appointments provide an opportunity to catch potential issues early, before they develop into long-term concerns.
Tip 5#: Consider cosmetic enhancements when appropriate
It’s never too late to start caring for your teeth through lifestyle changes and more effective cleaning, but everyone has their own smile journey. For some, cosmetic enhancements such as veneers, aligners, and whitening are ways to address physical health concerns and boost self-confidence.
Many people still view dentistry as a medieval practice full of discomfort, which can discourage them from seeking cosmetic treatments they consider nonessential. In truth, between technological advancements in digital smile design and a movement towards empathetic, tailored individual care, modern cosmetic dentistry has evolved into a cutting-edge, patient-centred experience.
Another common concern surrounding veneers and whitening is their appearance. Treatments that rely on templates risk standing out; they might be too bulky and affect facial proportions, or too bright and overtly obvious. Bespoke Smile is guided by the philosophy that every smile is unique and that treatments must account for the entire face and the patient’s specific needs. They understand that subtle, natural-looking improvements offer the best results.
Tip 6#: Protect your smile every day
Your teeth go through wear on a daily basis, sometimes driven by physical activity, and often through means you’re not even conscious of. Bruxism, the medical term for teeth grinding, affects 6 million Brits, which paints a worrying picture that links our mental health to our dental health.
Stress and anxiety can cause you to grind in your sleep or during the day and spend extended periods of time with your jaw clenched, both of which can wear down and weaken your teeth. Wearing a night guard while you sleep and appropriate protection when you play sports can help reduce enamel wear, tooth sensitivity, and fractures.
These factors can also impact any dental work you have had done. Mouth guards help keep your veneers and dentures strong and bright over time and reduce the need for maintenance visits.
Tip 7# Consistency is the real secret
The biggest roadblock facing any life improvement is implementation. Studies have shown that some health professionals are reluctant to offer advice that involves a patient changing their behaviour, as they know how difficult it can be to break routines and adopt new patterns.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to building consistency. Everybody will find the process challenging in some ways and simple in others; the most crucial thing is that you keep at it. If you struggle with keeping to new habits, consider some of the following tips:
1. Use your phone
Set reminders on your phone to floss and timers to ensure you spend the full recommended two minutes brushing your teeth.
2. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness can be especially effective when building new behaviours. It’s often distractions from other worries that cause you to forget to do something once, which makes you feel guilty. Eventually, you avoid it altogether because you associate it with those negative feelings. Taking a few minutes each day to centre yourself helps you feel in control and makes it easier to adapt to change.
3. Stack your routines
Tying oral hygiene to habits you already have can help new patterns stick. Floss during your nightly skincare routine, or catch up on the news while you drink your morning coffee, giving your mouth time to reset before you brush. Layering behaviour like this helps increase your follow-through.
4. Set a realistic standard
Doing something is always better than nothing. If you floss once a week or get a professional check-up once every 6 months, that’s better than never flossing and visiting a dentist once a year.
Gradually building habits makes it easier to maintain them and leads to long-term improvement. These tips can help reinforce behaviours that lead to a brighter smile, prevent tooth decay and staining, and reduce the need for future medical interventions.
Expert care starts with consistent daily habits
A brighter smile is more achievable than you think. It doesn’t require perfection, only time, effort, and a little bit of discipline. Anybody can follow the simple steps outlined here to improve their oral hygiene and feel more comfortable and confident in their daily lives.
To get a more granular and holistic view of your teeth, such as specific foods you should avoid or specialist treatments that can help take your smile to the next level, consult an expert who can offer tailored care and guidance on your individual needs.
With cumulative decades of experience and worldwide industry-recognised expertise, Bespoke Smile is a trusted resource for cosmetic dentistry and broader dental care. Their advice, featured throughout this list, is backed by research and practice to help you prevent issues, maintain the health and quality of your mouth, and enhance your smile.
