We were all told repeatedly as children to look after our teeth. To brush each night and refrain from eating too many sweets or they’ll fall out. When you're young, you take your smile for granted and never believe you’ll have anything other than a healthy set of gnashers for life.

But as you get older, your teeth become more susceptible to bad habits and the wear and tear of old age. They become stained from endless cups of coffee, your bad diet necessitates metal fillings, or your gums start to recede. You also become more self-conscious about your appearance as you age, so crooked teeth and large gaps that you didn’t care about as a child become more pronounced in your mind. You begin to wish you had taken better care of your oral health while you were young.

But it’s never too late to start looking after your teeth. The sooner you change your bad habits and adopt a strict dental hygiene routine, the more likely you will be to preserve your beautiful smile into old age. This way, you won’t have to resort to dental implants or corrective treatments. To help you on the path to a beaming smile, here are four tips to maintain healthy teeth for life.

Brush correctly

Considering it’s something everyone has to do each day, it’s remarkable how many people don’t know how to brush their teeth properly. You see people scrubbing far too aggressively or failing to reach the most important spots where plaque and bacteria tend to fester. Learning the proper brushing technique is the most important thing you can do to look after your mouth. Use your brush carefully, taking plenty of time to get into the hard-to-reach areas behind and between teeth. Just make sure you don’t press too hard or you will damage your gums.

Floss daily

At the end of a long day, the prospect of flossing your teeth rarely seems appealing. But it is more important than most people realize. A brush can only do so much, and won’t be able to dig out the food particles stuck between your teeth and under the gumline. Dental floss tackles these areas, preventing the build-up of plaque and reducing the risk of gum disease.

Avoid bad habits

There are plenty of common habits that can cause untold damage to one’s teeth over time. Smoking is probably the worst, as it stains the teeth and leads to gum problems so quitting is the best thing you can do. Although drinks like red wine, coffee, and tea are fine in small amounts, try not to consume them too regularly as they can cause the teeth to take on a yellowish hue. Limit your sugar intake and switch to healthier snacks and beverages instead.

See a dentist

The most significant action you can take to protect your teeth is to visit a dentist twice a year. They will be able to spot any red flags and give you advice for keeping your dental health in perfect condition.