The daily routine I'd use to avoid tooth decay

First, why teeth decay at all

Decay isn't bad luck. Bacteria on your teeth feed on sugars and make acid; the acid dissolves a little enamel. Between attacks, your saliva and fluoride quietly repair the damage. You get holes when the attacks come too often, or the repair system is too weak — usually because the mouth is dry.

Every habit below does one of two things: it reduces the acid attacks, or it strengthens the repair. That's the whole game.

One thing before we start: this is a routine for adults who keep getting decay. Children need a different, gentler version — ask us at their check-up rather than copying this one.

1. Water, all day long

I aim for about four litres of plain water spread across the day. That's my personal number — it's above the standard guidance of roughly two to two-and-a-half litres, and the habit matters far more than hitting any particular figure. What I want is a water bottle that's always within reach, and a sip happening regularly from morning to night. (Spread it out rather than gulping it, and if your doctor has you on a fluid limit for a medical reason, their number wins.)

Why it works: every sip rinses food and acid off your teeth; staying hydrated keeps your saliva flowing, and saliva is your built-in repair system; and every glass of water is a glass of soft drink, juice or sports drink you didn't have. In Toowoomba there's a bonus — the town water supply has had fluoride added since 2010, so tap water beats bottled water for your teeth, every time.

2. Fix night-time mouth breathing

This is the step almost everyone skips, and for some patients it's the whole reason they keep getting decay despite brushing beautifully. If you sleep with your mouth open — snoring, waking with a dry mouth, a partner who's noticed you gasp or stop breathing — your teeth spend eight hours a night with no saliva protecting them. That's a third of your life with the repair system switched off.

Snoring and sleep apnoea are medical conditions, so the path runs through your doctor: see your GP, get a sleep study, and ask about an ENT referral to check for whatever is blocking your nose or throat. We've written a full guide on this — the signs to look for in adults and children, and exactly what to do next — on our breathing, snoring and jaw growth page.

3. Brush twice a day — with stronger toothpaste

Two minutes, morning and night, is the baseline. But for patients who keep getting decay, I recommend stepping up from supermarket toothpaste to high-fluoride toothpaste — around 5,000 parts per million of fluoride, roughly three to five times the strength of a regular paste. The evidence for it in high-risk adults is strong.

High-fluoride toothpastes are Pharmacist Only medicines, kept behind the counter at the chemist, and there's more than one kind — I often set patients up with one paste for the morning brush and a different one at night, including one that pairs the fluoride with a calcium-phosphate ingredient to feed the repair side too. Ask us at your visit and we'll name the right ones for you and note them on your plan. They're for adults and older children only, as directed — and like any medicine, keep them well out of reach of young kids.

4. Spit — don't rinse

This one costs nothing and might be the highest-value change on this page. When you finish brushing, spit the foam out well, and stop there. No water, no mouthwash straight after. Rinsing washes away the fluoride you just paid for; left alone, a thin film of it keeps working on your enamel for hours. Try not to eat or drink for about half an hour afterwards — which is easy at night, because the next step happens in bed. (Spit, don't swallow: toothpaste is for teeth, not stomachs.)

5. The bedside-table step: Tooth Mousse Plus

The last thing I recommend each day is a tooth cream called Tooth Mousse Plus, and the trick is where you keep it: on the bedside table, next to whatever you already reach for at night. After your night brush, smear a pea-sized amount over your teeth with a clean finger, spit out any excess, don't rinse, and go to sleep. It delivers calcium and phosphate — the minerals enamel is made of — with a little fluoride, and it works best exactly when your mouth is at its driest: overnight.

One important caution: its key ingredient, Recaldent, is derived from milk protein. If you have a milk protein allergy, don't use it — tell us and we'll suggest an alternative. It's available without a prescription; ask us about it at your check-up.

The boring basics still count

None of the above replaces the unglamorous stuff. Clean between your teeth once a day — our Piksters guide shows the easiest way. Watch sugar frequency, not just quantity: it's how often sugar hits your teeth that drives decay, so a dessert after dinner does far less damage than grazing and sipping sweet things all day. And keep your check-ups regular, so small problems stay small.

What a day on this routine looks like

• Morning: brush for two minutes with high-fluoride toothpaste. Spit, don't rinse.
• Through the day: water bottle always going — tap water, sipped constantly. Sweet things with meals, not grazed between them.
• Evening: clean between your teeth, then brush with your second high-fluoride paste. Spit, don't rinse.
• In bed: Tooth Mousse Plus from the bedside table, smeared on. Sleep.
• In the background: snoring or mouth breathing getting properly checked, and a check-up every six months.

Your version should be personalised

This is my ideal routine for a high-decay-risk adult — but the right routine for you depends on your saliva, your medications, your diet and what we see in your mouth. That's a ten-minute conversation at a check-up. Our $199 new patient offer covers the examination, X-rays and a personalised plan — book online or call 07 4635 1444, and we'll build your version together.

General information only — not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from your doctor, dentist or pharmacist. High-fluoride toothpastes are Pharmacist Only medicines: follow the label and your dental professional's directions, and keep them out of reach of young children. Every person is different and results vary.