From an early age, we’re taught the importance of healthy, consistent oral hygiene practices. Brush, swish, and floss, it seems simple enough, right?

But what if we told you that more than two-thirds of Aussies believe brushing alone is enough to maintain good oral hygiene, despite 95% of us considering the practice just as important as our skincare routine?
There’s a big gap in our knowledge of what’s really going on inside our mouths, and it’s something worth taking more seriously, sooner rather than later. Considering we only have our adult teeth once in our lives, we’re not about to ignore any oral health advice anytime soon.

Enter Listerine’s The Whole Mouth Audit, a study that revealed Aussies are leaving most of their mouth uncleaned and exposed to bacteria daily, often without a second thought. According to the study, as well as insights from Australian Oral Health Expert Emma Cubis, Aussies are quick to make assumptions about our health, believing oral care is simply about the visual look of our teeth, while neglecting other key areas that feed into our overall oral hygiene.

Spoiler alert: it’s about much more.

Brushing your teeth is just one piece of the puzzle, but it’s important to understand how other areas of the mouth contribute to your overall oral health. Bad breath? That’s your tongue. Sore gums? Probably plaque and tartar build-up, and definitely something you should be taking more seriously.

The good news is there are plenty of ways to improve your routine, and it’s not too late to make a change, provided you’ve spoken to a trusted dental professional. Cubis explains that mouthwash is often misunderstood as a “nice-to-have” extra, when in reality, it plays a much bigger role. Adding a daily mouthwash, like Listerine’s mouthwash range, helps reduce harmful bacteria in hard-to-reach areas, supporting tooth and gum health while also tackling bad breath on the tongue. Listerine’s Total Care Zero mouthwash is our top pick here. Alcohol-free so it doesn’t burn, it’s made with essential oils and fluoride, with plaque control ingredients to prevent and reduce plaque build-up. When combined with a complete routine of brushing, flossing, and tongue scraping, it becomes the perfect finishing step for whole-mouth hygiene.

But we hear you when we speak about talking to your local professional. In an interesting twist, the study also revealed that two-thirds of Aussies admit they’ve avoided the dentist at some point in their adult lives, with cost cited as the leading reason. Overtaking reasons like forgetting or not having enough time, rising living costs shouldn’t come at the expense of your oral health, and we personally feel more attention should be paid here by all of us to commit to a dental check-up schedule as regularly as our skincare facials. In the interim, a strong at-home routine can go a long way in keeping your mouth healthy between visits.

So, what are Oral Health Care Expert Emma Cubis’ five tips for whole-mouth care you can start practising today?

– Brushing alone won’t reach everywhere. Incorporate daily flossing or interdental brushes to clean between teeth and along the gumline.
– Clean your tongue. A key source of bad breath and home to a lot of bacteria, using a simple tongue scraper daily can make a big difference.
– Rinse with mouthwash. It’s ideal for reaching areas that brushing and flossing can’t.
– Protect your gums. Gentle, targeted brushing along the gumline can help reduce plaque and inflammation.
– Don’t skip your dentist appointments. We get it, it can be time-consuming and expensive, but you only have one set of adult teeth, so it’s worth the investment.

For our recommendations on strengthening your oral health routine at home, see below.

Happy Brushing!