Good dental health and regular visits to your dentist are crucial to taking care of your teeth and preventing problems. This requires a little vigilance, choosing the right oral care products, consistency, and being mindful of harmful food products. Having excellent dental health requires more than brushing twice a day; you have to improve your brushing technique, quit smoking, and ditch the soda.
We’ve outlined best dental practices you should follow for a healthy mouth below:
1) Visit your Dentist Twice a Year
If you’re one to avoid making dental appointments, then you’re part of some 50% of adults in the US with a similar mindset. Many people are averse to dental appointments due to phobia, finances, or simply neglect.
But if you visit your dentist on a regular basis, or twice a year according got the American Dental Association, you will catch problems such as gum disease, tooth decay, cancer, and traumata an earlier stage when they are preventable and affordable to treat. Choose the best dental plan for your family so you won’t have to cover the cost of the bill yourself!
2) Brushing Properly
Brushing your teeth is more than simply squeezing paste out of a tube, the way you brush your teeth is more important. Some experts argue that brushing your teeth poorly is the equivalent of not brushing it at all. For instance, you need to spend more time brushing your teeth. Take your time and move the brush in a circular, gentle manner to remove plaque.
Over time, unremoved plaque can harden, which could eventually lead to early gum disease (gingivitis). Make sure your brush has soft bristles. If you notice that the bristles are getting bent out of shape, throw the brush away because they will cause injury to teeth and gums. While practicing proper technique is highly recommended, make sure you don’t overdo it because aggressive brushing will erode your gum line and damage teeth.
3) Flossing is Important Too
Flossing contributes to healthier gums and teeth. Just like brushing, there’s a proper technique you have to learn for effective flossing. Aggressive flossing can create friction that can damage the gum line. Make sure to unroll fresh floss for each tooth, keeping the floss pressed against the tooth to break away at plaque.
4) Use Mouthwash for Better Results
Mouthwash supplements brushing and flossing by reducing the amount of acid in the mouth. It reaches hard-to-reach areas in and around the gums while remineralizing the teeth. Make sure to ask your dentist which brand is best for you. Certain brands are best for people with sensitive teeth and small children. Your dentist might recommend prescription mouthwash.
5) Special Care for Toddlers because They’re Young
Small children tend to avoid dental care, which is a bad parental choice because they need proper mouth maintenance like everyone else. The general rule of thumb says that children should see dentists by the time they’re 1 or until they’re mature enough to tie their own shoes. They also need help cleaning their teeth.
6) Older People Need Good Oral Healthcare
Like toddlers, older people tend to avoid best dental health practices yet they are more vulnerable than ever. At advanced ages, the struggle maintaining their oral health due to arthritis which make flossing and brushing challenging. With age, their mouth produces less saliva, a dry mouth is a breeding ground for tooth decay and discomfort, especially when they’re wearing dentures.
7) Avoid Sugar Like the Plague!
Sugar is a major contributor to teeth decay. It fuels acidity in your mouth and fosters the ideal conditions for bacteria to thrive, empowering plaque to form and eat away at your gums and enamel. Since sugar tends to be in most beverages, ranging from sweetened tea and coffee to ice cream, most adult in the United States are already at risk of tooth decay.
If you recently treated yourself to some sugary treats, make sure to floss and brush right after.
8) Ditch the Soda
While a soda can is great to wash down food with, sodas tend to contain two corrosive ingredients – citric acid and phosphoric acid. Together they erode the surface of your teeth, softening the enamel and making them more susceptible to cavities. Switch to water instead. And if you really want some flavor in your drink, then add crushed berries, mint leaves, or sliced citrus. It’s delicious, healthy, and doesn’t harm your teeth,
9) No More Smoking
Smoking is injurious to your health. All the tar and nicotine in cigarettes results in the teeth turning into a ghastly shade of yellow, while slowly destroying gums. Smoking also creates the perfect environment for plaque and bacteria buildup along the teeth and gum line. But it gets worse than that, smoking affects the tissue, weakens bones that support teeth, and eventually results in tooth loss.
At its worse, all that tobacco leads to oral cancer, which his not only painful but difficult to cure.
10) Drink Lots of Water
No beverage comes even close to the health benefits of water, and that also applies to oral health. If your mouth produces less saliva, you can drink water to cut your risk because saliva is your mouth’s first defense against tooth decay.
It is recommended to drink water after every meal because it washes down your dinner and any unwanted sugar that is still clinging to your teeth.
Or better yet, drink water with fluoride to strengthen your teeth and prevent decay.
11) Eat Foods that are good for Your Health
As the saying goes, you are what you eat. We already mentioned the danger of sugary foods. Substitute them with a diet that contributes to positive oral health. This includes leafy greens, yogurt, cheese, fruits, and almonds. The action of eating fresh, crunchy produce produces saliva in your mouth which rinses food and bacteria particles.
12) Stop Grinding Your Teeth
The rhythmic clenching of the haws and grinding of teeth can develop at any age. It is usually done unconsciously in one’s sleep but is known to take place when awake. Putting an end to this requires a full checkup by your dentist. Follow the recommended treatment plan, which might also include certain behavioral modification methods.
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