Oral health plays an important role in your health and wellbeing. A confident smile, fresh breath, and a disease-free mouth are some of the benefits that come with having a healthy mouth. Brushing your teeth daily is a good routine but it is not enough to guarantee the recommended oral hygiene. Oral health demands a commitment to a consistent routine to dental care; therefore, to have a healthy mouth, you need to take good care of your teeth and gums. Here are some tips that we recommend for your oral health.
8 Oral Health Tips you need to Know
Brush Your Teeth Properly
Here is an important tip, proper brushing should take at least two minutes. Most adults do not manage to brush their teeth for that long. Since spending adequate time brushing teeth is a problem to many, having a stopwatch or a timer would help. Dentists recommend a 45° tilt of the toothbrush against your gum line for an effective clean. You should also ensure that you gently clean the inner and the outer surfaces of your teeth. Ensure you also properly brush the chewing surfaces.
Never forget to brush your tongue! Most people tend to ignore their tongues while brushing their teeth. You might want to clean up the bacteria that accumulate on the tongue.
Pick the Correct Toothbrush
There are two types of toothbrushes that you can use based on your preference, the manual and the electric toothbrushes. Both are good and efficient although dentists recommend the use of either of them depending on your need. Special toothbrushes can also be recommended by dentists to special cases such as people with braces. Most importantly, your toothbrush should be able to clean off the plaque on the teeth. To keep your gum safe, use a toothbrush with soft bristles.
It is advisable that you change your toothbrush every three months or when the bristles wear off. Otherwise, you will be using a toothbrush that inefficiently cleans your teeth.
Use the Right Toothpaste
It is important to use toothpaste that best suits your dental needs. For dental conditions such as sensitivity, cavities, gingivitis, and stained teeth; there are various kinds of toothpaste designed to treat these conditions. However, you should avoid using toothpaste that can affect your enamel. Many people use teeth-whitening toothpaste that contains peroxide, which can corrode the enamel, causing teeth sensitivity. Instead, use toothpaste that will give you an efficient clean and those that have components that are gentle to the teeth. Such components include fluoride which is the most basic ingredient for teeth cleaning.
Have Regular Dental Check-ups
Only a few people spare time to visit their dentists for check-ups. Visiting a dentist for dental check-ups is fundamental for your oral health. You should have these check-ups every six months. This way, dentists can detect dental issues as soon as they occur. With dental check-ups, you will receive oral examinations and receive professional teeth cleaning services. Birchgrove Dental’s principal dentist explains early treatment can deter further damage or infection and fix the dental issue before it begins. Avoiding these check-ups is a threat to your oral health.
Check on Your Diet
Did you know that having the right nutrition contributes to healthy teeth? A balanced diet with all the nutritional food groups is a great deal to the health of your teeth. Foods rich in Calcium, Vitamin C, and Phosphorous are a great choice for strong teeth and healthy gum. A consistent intake of water in place of sugary drinks would do you good. You should also manage your snacks-eating habits. Sugary snacks such as candy and cakes increase possibilities of acid attacks to the enamel. If possible, cut on the number of times you snack.
Floss Properly
Flossing should be done daily and properly, just like brushing. Unfortunately, very few people floss regularly. Toothbrushes are not able to reach entirely to the plaque in the teeth. Flossing properly will help you to remove the plaque that builds up in those areas of the teeth that are hard to reach. For effective flossing, dentists recommend that you use around 18 to 24 inches of dental floss.
Avoid Tobacco
Tobacco, chewed or smoked, is not safe for your oral health. Consistent use of tobacco stains your teeth until they become permanently discoloured. Research also shows that tobacco is carcinogenic and that it can cause mouth cancer. Finally, Tobacco can cause serious gum problems and ultimately lead to gum diseases. For the sake of your oral health, it is important that you quit the use of tobacco and concentrate on keeping your mouth healthy.
Cut Down on Sugar
Sugar in drinks and foods have severe effects on our teeth. The oral bacteria found in the mouth feed on sugar to generate acids. These acids create an oral infection known as tooth cavity which destroys the tooth enamel. If not controlled, cavities find their way into the roots of the teeth leading to sharp pains. You should cut down on sugar intake for the sake of your oral health.
