Most of us were so busy buying pancake mixture on February 9^th that we weren’t even aware that it was also National Toothache Day (ironic, we know!).

 As well as trying to share some more tooth-friendly savoury suggestions for Shrove Tuesday, we also spoke to former Chief Dental Officer of England Barry Cockcroft, who’s a Non-Executive Director at mydentist. He wanted to shed a more positive light on the ever-mocked state of the UK’s oral health.

He said: “There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to our oral health; it's not as good as it could be, but overall oral hygiene standards have improved significantly.”

“Toothache is a much less common occurrence than it used to be. Much of this improvement is down to the continued efforts of the dental profession, but the public must play their part by preventing disease themselves through maintaining a good oral hygiene routine, maintaining a healthy diet and attending regular check-ups before trouble develops.” he commented.

We’re delighted (and would like to think we’ve contributed) that recent studies have dispelled one or two myths surrounding the nation’s dental practices. A long-held stereotype suggests that Americans have better teeth than Britons, but research conducted by University College London, using data from the English Adult Dental Health Survey and the US National Health and Nutrition Survey, has concluded that this isn’t actually the case.

But, it’s not just on national holidays where we encourage everybody to look after their oral hygiene, there’s no better time to start than now! Here are some top tips from Barry to help you take the right steps towards improving the condition of your teeth:

• Stock up on everything needed to keep your teeth clean and healthy, including a good quality toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash and dental floss.
• Examine your diet and look for ways in which you can reduce the amount and frequency of sugar consumption.
• Try out a new and more effective brushing technique.
• Call your dentist to schedule your next appointment.
• Teach your children how to brush their teeth properly.

At mydentist, we offer friendly and professional care in over 670 practices – and you can get in touch with one of our teams today through our website.