Healthy teeth require a lifetime of maintenance. Even if you’ve been told you have lovely teeth, it’s still important to care for them properly every day to avoid issues. This entails using the appropriate oral care products and paying attention to your regular routine.
According to where they are in your mouth, your teeth come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Teeth can perform a variety of tasks thanks to these variances. Teeth aid in the chewing and digestion of food. They aid in our ability to speak correctly and to pronounce various sounds. Finally, teeth contribute to the contour of our face. It makes sense to take the finest care of your teeth because having a healthy smile can be quite advantageous.
Painful tooth decay can require fillings, crowns, or inlays. If tooth decay is not addressed, the tooth’s nerve may contract an infection, die, and develop an abscess. Thereafter, a root canal procedure or even tooth extraction may be required. To maintain a healthy habit at home and maintain your teeth and gums, it is crucial. Untreated gum disease frequently results in bone loss around the teeth. It may occasionally result in missing teeth and loose teeth. Gum disease can be avoided. With routine cleaning sessions and check-ups, it can be treated and maintained under control, preventing further issues.
It’s simple to develop unhealthy dental habits, but in this article are several guidelines that are unbreakable that can help you avoid a lot of issues with your mouth, teeth, and gums.
1. Always clean your teeth before going to bed
It’s no secret that brushing your teeth at least twice a day is generally advised. However, a lot of us still skip cleaning our teeth at night. However, brushing your teeth before night removes plaque and bacteria that have accumulated throughout the day.
2. Brush properly
The manner in which you brush is equally crucial; in fact, brushing your teeth improperly is almost as terrible as not brushing at all. Take your time and remove plaque by gently circling your teeth with the toothbrush. Plaque that isn’t removed may harden, causing calculus to form and gingivitis (early gum disease).
To remove undesired particles, toothbrushes cannot reach in between teeth. Interdental cleaning with floss or brushes is essential because brushing only cleans roughly 60% of your mouth. When food and plaque are left between teeth, they can cause gum disease and tooth decay, which are both preventable by routinely cleaning in between teeth.
You should choose interdental brushes if you have room between your teeth, and you should always use the largest size you can find—you might need more than one size. Dental floss is suggested if your teeth are close together. Do this once daily, preferably before brushing your teeth in the evening.
3. Pay attention to your tongue
Your tongue may also develop plaque. This may cause various issues with dental health in addition to poor breath. Every time you brush your teeth, gently brush your tongue as well.
4. Use toothpaste with fluoride
There are more factors to consider in toothpaste than whitening ability and flavour. Regardless of the version you select, be sure fluoride is present for optimal results and oral hygiene.
Fluoride is still a crucial component of dental health, despite the fact that some people are concerned about how it may affect other aspects of health. This is due to fluoride’s prominent role in tooth decay prevention. It functions by eradicating bacteria that can cause decay and by acting as a barrier for your teeth.
5. Make sure to eat your fruits and vegetables
Although ready-to-eat foods seem practical, they may not be the best for your teeth or for your health. Fresh, crisp food is the best option for your teeth because it includes more beneficial fibre. So quit cutting things into little bits, avoid extremely mushy manufactured foods, and start using your jaws!
6. Eat less foods high in sugar and acid
The food and beverages we consume on a daily basis can have a significant impact on the health of our teeth, and eating too many sweet or acidic foods can result in acid attacks and caries. To naturally take care of your teeth and gums and maintain a healthy smile, it is advised to check your sugar intake and decrease it as much as possible unless you carry a toothbrush with you at all times.
Furthermore, while eating fruit is undoubtedly a better alternative to munching on sweets, acidic foods are just as detrimental to dental enamel as sugary meals. In the end, sugar turns into acid in the mouth, which can wear away at the tooth enamel. Cavities are caused by these acids. Teas, coffee, and acidic fruits can all erode dental enamel.
7. Schedule at least two annual visits to the dentist
Your general dental health is greatly influenced by your daily routine. Even the most diligent brushers and flossers should visit the dentist on a regular basis. You should visit the dentist at least twice a year for cleanings and checkups. A dentist with a good dental liability insurance can check for cavities, remove calculus, and recommend treatments in addition to identifying current problems.
Even more frequent dental visits may be covered by some dental insurance providers. Use this to your advantage if it applies to you. If you have a history of dental problems like gingivitis or recurrent cavities, doing this is very beneficial.
8. Use an interdental brush
How to use an interdental brush:
- Pick the appropriate size
- Gently place the brush between the teeth and make a few back-and-forth motions
- If necessary, adjust the brush’s size and curvature. For the front teeth, I find it easier to keep it straight, while the back teeth require an angle or bend
- Every 4 to 7 days, or when the filaments start to wear out, change the brush
9. Use dental floss regularly
Even the greatest toothbrushes often have trouble getting to the plaque that accumulates in between your teeth, and if these hard-to-reach places are neglected during cleaning, they can become a hotspot for caries. Gum disease and subsequent tooth loss are primarily caused by plaque accumulation and tartar. We advise flossing daily as an additional preventative practise to help you avoid the need for dental treatments including fillings, root canals, and extractions. Interdental toothbrushes can be used to clean and remove food debris in larger spaces between teeth as an alternative to string floss. Once more, your hygienist will be a priceless resource for knowledge and guidance on this.
How to floss:
- Take a piece that extends from the tip of your index finger to your elbow. Your middle fingers should only have about an inch or two of floss to work with
- Between your thumbs and index fingers, tightly grasp the floss. Slide the floss between the teeth by gently cutting it
- Gently bend the floss into a tight ‘C’ shape and rub up and down as you descend all the way below the gum line. Before coming back up and out to continue on to the next area, repeat this procedure for the opposite side of the tooth
- As you pass the floss between the teeth, use a fresh segment of it
10. Cut down on smoking
It comes as no surprise that smoking has numerous negative effects on your dental health. Not only can teeth with nicotine stains look, smell, and taste awful, but they can also draw additional plaque. Smoking weakens your gums’ defences against dangerous bacteria and increases the risk of gum disease. The greatest risk, however, comes from smokers’ up to ten times higher risk of developing oral cancer. The good news is that many of the damaging effects on the mouth, teeth, and gums can be reversed by quitting smoking. Still not feeling quite as convinced as you thought? See these top reasons to quit smoking and how it can improve your overall oral health.
11. Checking for mouth cancer
By visiting your dentist frequently, you might catch oral cancer early. Dentists will always perform a few quick examinations as part of any regular checkup so they can be informed of any disease’s very first symptoms. You can also perform a few quick and easy checks on your own at home. In fact, it’s a good idea to perform regular self-checks between trips to the dentist — once a month is optimal and can take less than a minute.
You’ll have a better chance of avoiding mouth, tooth, and gum issues if you are aware of these top tips and prioritise them depending on your life, your family, your teeth, your habits, and your health. But if you must choose just one recommendation, make sure you always keep your dental visits. Your dentist is your best friend; they can identify early warning symptoms and collaborate with you to develop a lifelong plan to maintain the health of your mouth, teeth, and gums so you may lead a better life.