We all like to take care of our teeth properly. It’s nice to have fresh breath, clean teeth, healthy gums, and, of course, a nice smile! However, it’s always important to do a little bit of a check and make sure we’re doing it right. That is what we are going to discuss here today. The following are the top tips to make sure you’re taking care of your dental health properly in the hope that you have a nice, healthy smile.
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Dental Health Is Important
It’s not all about having a nice smile – though that is of course lovely. Dental health is important for a variety of reasons. The obvious risks are to your teeth. A lack of proper brushing, flushing, and other oral care can lead to dangerous levels of plaque and bacteria on your teeth, leading to cavities, tooth loss, or severe pain.
The teeth aren’t the only things you’re looking after, though. By keeping your whole mouth clean, you are also ensuring your gums, tongue, and other areas of your mouth stay healthy. You want it all to be bacteria-free to keep the risk of gum disease and bad breath at bay.
Regularly Visit The Dentist
Let’s put this out there right now: there’s no need to be afraid of the dentist! If you’re not currently registered at a dentist, do it now. If you search for ‘dentist near me’ online you’ll find some excellent dental professionals in your area right away. Get down there and get registered as a patient!
Dentists are there for a reason. They understand not only how to check and repair damaged teeth, but they also know how to look for signs of gum issues, disease, or other sinister oral issues. They may be able to spot something you’re completely unaware of and help you create an adequate treatment plan. They’ll also obviously point out if you’ve made any errors when cleaning your teeth and help you learn how to look after them better.
Brush Twice A Day
This is the thing we should all be doing. If you’re not already, why not?! It’s the most important part of dental health, the habit of brushing at least twice a day. Most dentists recommend brushing twice a day for at least two minutes. Toothpaste is made to help fight off bacteria and plaque around your teeth and gum line. A good electric brush can help brush into tight gaps in every corner of your mouth. Brush the front, top, and back of your teeth, as well as your tongue. If you have sensitive teeth, a toothpaste designed to combat this can help here, too.
Floss Regularly
Alongside regular brushing, you should also aim to floss every evening at least. Flossing helps you dig just that little bit further into the gum line to gather and clear any plaque that won’t budge. There’s a bit of debate around whether flossing before or after brushing is more beneficial, but most people recommend flossing beforehand. That way, you are clearing some of the nastiest bits away first, allowing you to have a thorough, refreshing brush afterward. So, the takeaway here is to floss before brushing, especially in the evening.
Mouthwash Can Help
Mouthwash is a bonus tool in your oral hygiene arsenal. It is certainly not meant to replace brushing and flossing, let’s get that straight. But, it is great for adding a little extra depth to your cleaning regime. Mouthwash is often antibacterial, making it an extra help when fighting any build-up of bacteria in your mouth. This means it can seriously help you manage the risk of cavities and diseases throughout your life.
It is also often viewed as a great way to help fight bad breath due to the fact you can swill around your whole mouth and even gargle it at the back of your throat. We certainly recommend adding mouthwash to the end of your oral hygiene routine. It certainly can’t hurt.
Consider Whitening
Since we’re talking about having a nice smile, there are of course treatments you could consider. One of the most simple and least invasive procedures you can look at is whitening. First off, we know that whitening kinds of toothpaste have been shown to gently and gradually whiten your teeth, though they do not give you pearly-white smiles right away!
Instead, if you feel you need it, you can try a whitening kit. These use UV light normally, which can help lighten the color of your teeth without doing any damage to the protective layer of enamel around them. These kits have been shown to drastically improve the color of your teeth, while not causing any extra sensitivity or damage.
Don’t Smoke
We’ve talked a lot about things you should do while caring for your teeth, but here’s something you shouldn’t: smoke. There are literally hundreds of reasons not to smoke cigarettes, with dental and oral health being two of them. Firstly, smoking turns your teeth yellow and slowly damages your enamel. This damage is often permanent once you have been smoking for a while.
This isn’t the only reason not to smoke, though. Smoking also causes bad breath, bacterial build-up, gum disease, and oral cancers. Not one of these things is ideal, we expect you’d rather avoid them all. So, if you are smoking, give up now and save your smile!
Try And Eat Well
Finally, what we eat obviously affects our teeth and sadly, the standard American diet is not doing our oral health much good. Too much sugar is the cause of a large amount of our countrymen’s dental issues. We consume far too much soda, candy, and other sweet things for our teeth to stay healthy and strong. Try and have your dental health in mind while choosing food options.
Looking after your teeth, then, is not as simple as just brushing them twice a day. After all, you only get one set of teeth, so it’s best to look after them. While it is very easy to forget or let things slip, we should all take a little more time out of our daily routine to think about our oral health. One thing’s for sure, you won’t regret it.
