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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Courtney Pochin

Dentist shares biggest mouthwash mistake to avoid - and best time to use it

When it comes to our general health, many people will ensure they are taking good care of themselves, but dental health can be an entirely different story, as it seems many of us may not know the best ways to look after our teeth.

Thankfully an expert has shared his top tips to help those who are keen to learn and improve.

Dr. Khaled Kasem, the chief orthodontist at Impress, has spoken to The Mirror all about mouthwash, explaining the best time to use it and the correct order it goes in alongside teeth brushing and flossing.

He claims the best thing to do is to begin the teeth cleaning process with some dental floss, in order to remove any plaque you have between the teeth.

The expert shared the best time to use mouthwash (stock photo) (Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)

Next, you move on to brushing your teeth, with either a regular or electric toothbrush before finally using some mouthwash.

While most people might commonly use mouthwash in the morning after brushing their teeth to have a fresh breath all day, the expert claims this isn't actually the best time to reach for the bottle.

Instead, he claims the evening is the most helpful time for mouthwash - but there's one big mistake many people make after using it.

"I would strongly recommend to use the mouthwash as part of your routine before going to sleep and make sure you do not rinse with water after this," Dr. Kasem says. "This way it can keep working during the whole night."

The expert went on to remind people that while you might only use mouthwash once a day, it's crucial to always brush your teeth twice a day.

"It's really important to brush your teeth twice a day, for a minimum of two minutes and spend more time brushing them in the night, as this way the fluoride will keep working throughout the night while you're asleep."

He added: "You should always use fluoride toothpaste. That's also really important. There are different types [of toothpaste] but in general, fluoride is really important for us and it's really important for kids to be using low, concentrated fluoride, according to the age of the patient.

"If you have teeth sensitivity, it's good to have to use hypersensitive toothpaste to lower this sensitivity."

This comes after he previously told The Mirror all about the mistakes people make before and after attending a dentist appointment - including the drink you should avoid.

For instance, he urged people to brush their teeth and avoid beverages that can stain before an appointment, like tea, coffee or red wine.

Then following your visit, when your teeth have been polished and are at their best, he recommends avoiding acidic drinks like orange juice or soda.

Do you have a top tip to share? We want to hear all about it. Email us at yourmirrror@mirror.co.uk

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