Medically reviewed by Dr. Saurabh Shrivastava, BDS MDS Prosthodontist (DCI: A-04860). Last updated: May 2026.

Ten simple habits — twice-daily brushing, daily flossing, fluoride toothpaste, tongue cleaning, regular brush replacement, a balanced diet, avoiding tobacco, drinking water, limiting sugar, and a six-monthly dental check-up — together do more for oral health than any single treatment, and they form the foundation of every patient’s care plan at Smile Gallery Dental Wellness Centre, Arera Colony, under Dr. Saurabh Shrivastava, BDS MDS Prosthodontist (DCI: A-04860). Patients from BHEL and surrounding areas often arrive after years of irregular care; once these habits are established, the difference at the next check-up is visible. When prevention falters and decay reaches the pulp, root canal dental treatment has a 95% success rate over 10 years, but prevention is always less costly and less invasive.

1. Brush Twice a Day

Brush in the morning and before bed. Use gentle, circular strokes for two minutes, holding the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Hard horizontal scrubbing damages enamel and gums over time and leads to sensitivity.

2. Floss Every Day

Brushing cleans only three of the five surfaces of each tooth. Daily flossing reaches the contact points between teeth where decay and gum disease usually start. Interdental brushes work well for adults with wider gaps or bridges.

3. Use Fluoride Toothpaste

Fluoride strengthens enamel and reverses very early decay before a cavity forms. Children below six should use a pea-sized amount under supervision; adults should ensure their toothpaste lists fluoride as an active ingredient.

"I have seen patients walk in after 8 years without a cleaning, expecting the worst, and walk out needing only a scaling and two small fillings. The mouth is forgiving if you catch things early — but it keeps a strict ledger if you do not."

Dr. Saurabh Shrivastava · BDS, MDS Prosthodontist, DCI A-04860

4. Clean Your Tongue

The tongue harbours bacteria that cause bad breath and reinfect freshly cleaned teeth. A soft tongue scraper or the back of your toothbrush, used gently from back to front, takes only a few seconds.

5. Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly

Replace a manual brush or electric brush head every three months, or sooner if the bristles are splayed. After any cold, flu, or throat infection, replace the brush to avoid reinfection.

6. Eat a Balanced Diet

Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin C, and phosphorus all play a role in healthy teeth and gums. Include dairy or fortified alternatives, leafy greens, fish, eggs, and fresh fruit. Crunchy raw vegetables also help mechanically clean tooth surfaces.

7. Avoid Tobacco and Limit Alcohol

Tobacco in any form — cigarettes, gutka, paan masala — stains teeth, causes gum recession, and is the single biggest risk factor for oral cancer. Heavy alcohol use dries the mouth, reducing the saliva that protects teeth.

8. Drink Water and Limit Sugary Drinks

Water rinses food particles, neutralises acid, and supports saliva production. Sugary and fizzy drinks coat teeth in fermentable sugars; if you do drink them, use a straw and rinse with water afterwards.

9. Wear a Mouthguard When Needed

If you grind your teeth at night or play contact sports, a custom-fit mouthguard from your dentist protects enamel, prevents fractures, and eases the morning jaw pain that comes with long-term grinding.

10. Visit Your Dentist Every Six Months

Professional cleaning removes the hardened deposits that brushing cannot. Six-monthly check-ups also catch early decay, gum problems, and bite issues while they are still simple to treat.

Names and identifying details changed for privacy.

Illustration for patient privacy — identifying details altered.
The clinical case and outcome are from Dr. Saurabh Shrivastava's practice.

Vikram came in on a Wednesday morning in November, still in office formals, his government ID card swinging from a lanyard. He was 36, worked in the finance department at Vallabh Bhavan, and had not seen a dentist since his pre-employment medical 7 years earlier.

"My wife said my breath is bad," he said, looking more embarrassed than concerned. "And my gums bleed when I brush. I kept putting off the appointment."

The examination showed the predictable picture of long-deferred care. Heavy calculus along the lower anterior lingual surfaces, generalised marginal gingivitis with bleeding on probing at 9 of 12 sites, and 3 early cavities — one on a lower molar, two small interproximal lesions in the upper premolars. His oral health had drifted quietly for years while he had been busy with transfers and appraisals.

When I asked about his routine, the story was familiar. He brushed once — in the morning, medium-bristled brush, a vigorous horizontal scrub that was actually abrasive rather than effective. He drank 4 cups of tea with sugar daily, ate lunch from the government canteen, and snacked on namkeen and biscuits through the afternoon. He had never flossed and had no idea what interdental brushes were.

I kept the explanation practical. "The bad breath is the calculus — bacteria living in the deposits. Once we scale it off and you maintain it at home, it will resolve within 2 weeks. The cavities are small — I can fill all 3 in one sitting. But this only stays fixed if the habits change."

We did the full-mouth scaling that morning — 40 minutes. Vikram had significant subgingival calculus on the lower anteriors that required more time, but he tolerated it well. We filled all 3 cavities with tooth-coloured composite in the same appointment. He left with a soft-bristled brush, a box of interdental picks, and instructions to cut the tea from 4 cups to 2.

He came back at 3 weeks. The bleeding had stopped at all but 2 sites, and his wife had confirmed the breath had improved within the first week. He had switched to a soft brush and started using the interdental picks — not daily yet, but 4 to 5 times a week.

"I had no idea the gums could recover this fast," he said. "I thought once they bled it meant something was permanently wrong."

At his 6-month check-up, all probing sites were within normal limits. No new cavities. The 3 fillings were intact. He had brought his younger brother along — who had been avoiding the dentist for similar reasons — and both left with appointments booked for the following month.

— Dr. Saurabh Shrivastava
BDS, MDS Prosthodontist · DCI A-04860 · Smile Gallery, Bhopal