You played yourself, didn’t you? Drank too much, partied too hard, woke up on Monday full of regrets and self-loathing, and said, “This time it’s different.”

That’s the binge drinking, New Year’s resolution, fad diet approach, but will it last?

When it comes to your teeth, you likely reached this point in two ways:

1. You are tired of constant dental visits for new issues or persistent toothaches.

2. You have ignored dental care for too long and now face significant dental work, forcing you to consider selling a non-vital body organ to cover the costs.

It’s easy to feel helpless and out of control, especially when you don’t know what caused the problem. Dental issues can be complex but often boil down to simple habits: better and more regular cleaning and less bad stuff in your diet.

If your teeth are broken, infected, and worn, you will still need to see a dentist for repairs. But long-term gains come from the daily care you give your teeth.

Improving these centres around habit and, likely, food addiction. Get these right, and you’ll resolve over half of your ongoing dental issues.

Good dental hygiene takes effort but isn’t physically demanding. Effective brushing twice a day for 2-3 minutes with the right toothbrush and toothpaste is non-negotiable if you want to give your teeth the best chance. A professional dentist clean kick-starts the process, as there is often stubborn plaque (soft mush of food debris, bacteria, and waste products) and calculus (hard scale, aka tartar, calcification).

Beyond identifying problems, a professional clean can reset your oral health, disrupting the biofilm. This means clearing out bad bacteria to make room for good ones. To attract good tenants, show you care for the place.

Once people experience clean teeth and a healthy mouth, they often maintain it happily.

Here are some ways to form good habits for better and more regular cleaning:

– Buy dental care products and keep them visible. It’s better to have a tidy mouth than a tidy bench.

– If you don’t return to the bathroom after breakfast, can you have a place near the kitchen?

– Keep a toothbrush and toothpaste at work for an extra clean after lunch or snacks.

– Use your tongue to check for food debris and plaque after meals. You will soon crave the clean teeth feeling.

– After brushing, use your tongue to check for missed spots and re-brush those areas.

Changing your diet can be a hard habit to form.

Soft drinks, energy drinks, lollies, sports drinks, biscuits—all the good stuff. But sugar and acid are the enemies of teeth and should be minimised and substituted.

Plain water is key to hydration—get a reusable water bottle (you probably have 10 already) and keep it visible.

A work and car water bottle is also handy. Make water more appealing by keeping it in the fridge.

Get a reusable straw for soft drinks and juice to prevent them from washing over your teeth.

Sugar-free or xylitol mints, lozenges, and chewing gums are better for your teeth and can help suppress other sweet cravings.

If you indulge in sweet treats, avoid grazing on them all day. Constant sugar exposure is a problem. Clean your teeth soon after eating them.

The unf*cking process starts with professional dental care and is maintained by your efforts. Good habits take only a few weeks to instil, so make the process as easy as possible. You will love the results!