Do you know what the window to our overall health is? Our mouth! Basically, it helps us chew our food and makes digestion easier, but that’s not all there is. Though it’s not often thought of, our teeth help us speak clearly and fluently and pronounce different sounds. Not to mention, they create a picture-perfect smile and play a crucial role in maintaining the shape of our faces.
A good dental care habit begins before that little milk tooth breaks through. Just because the teeth haven’t shown up yet doesn’t mean they’re not there. As a baby, our milk teeth start to form in the jaw during the second trimester of pregnancy. So it’s important to maintain healthy gum for your teeth to grow through.
One must learn the basic ways to take care of their teeth and gums at home. It’s one thing when you talk about keeping your teeth healthy; practicing it is another thing. Taking care of your teeth is crucial for maintaining good oral health and overall well-being. Poor dental hygiene can lead to a range of dental issues, including cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss. In case of an emergency such as a toothache, broken tooth, or lost filling, it is essential to seek immediate attention from an emergency dentist.
This article has some good tips for maintaining healthy teeth and gums, so keep reading!
Tip #1: Brush your teeth.
Any dentist highly recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day to avoid germs build-up on teeth and gums. Although how you brush and hold your toothbrush is also important. The proper way of brushing teeth is to hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle over the gum line. This is to ensure that both the gum line and tooth surface are in contact with the bristles.
Additionally, brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes to make sure you cover most of the surfaces of all your teeth. Include the surface of your tongue and roof of your mouth when you’re brushing to remove bacteria build-up; to avoid the occurrence of bad breath caused by bacteria.
Another great alternative to your regular toothpaste—and most likely effective because of the herb extracts found in the ingredients—is the Dental Pro 7. It eliminates bacteria build-up in your mouth by coating your teeth and soaking into your gum tissues. And what makes it more efficient is that it’s water insoluble, allowing more time to work its magic.
Tip #2: Use dental floss.
When it comes to dental care habits, many people regard flossing as “optional.” But little did they know that brushing alone doesn’t guarantee that all the surfaces of their teeth and gums are covered. In fact, most dentists recommend daily flossing in addition to brushing. Although flossing can be time-consuming, it can help remove food particles that are stuck in between teeth.
Flossing also allows you to clean areas that a toothbrush can hardly reach, which helps prevent the bacteria from building-up micro-organic colonies. Together, daily flossing and brushing form the foundation of at-home preventative dental care.
When is the best time to floss?
A recent study shows that it is more effective to remove interdental plaque when you floss before brushing rather than brushing first and flossing second. This is because when you floss, it loosens the plaque, bacteria, and other residues in between teeth. Then, followed by brushing and rinsing, more food particles are flushed out from those interdental spaces.
Tip #3: Avoid too much coffee, tea, and soda
While coffee and tea can provide a certain amount of health benefits, too many of these beverages can also stain your teeth resulting in tooth discoloration. Even though the enamel on your teeth serves as a protective barrier, it does have tiny pores. The tannins seep into those tiny pores when you drink coffee or tea. This leaves deep stains behind. Remember, coffee is acidic, so too much of it can also degrade the enamel over time. Sodas, with no nutritional value, are packed with sugar which is the main culprit of tooth decay and other dental problems.
Tip #4: Cleanse your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash and chew sugarless gum.
Antibacterial mouthwash is self-explanatory. It is recommended to rinse your mouth with this solution to prevent tooth decay and gum problems. However, the general rule of thumb for the safe use of mouthwash is to limit it to once a day. Avoid overusing mouthwash as it can lead to dry mouth.
Additionally, chewing gum is a good way to produce more saliva in your mouth. This flow of saliva helps neutralize the acid effect caused by bacteria, consequently acting as your teeth’s natural defender. However, you should opt for sugarless chewing gum. Otherwise, the benefit of producing saliva from chewing gum goes to waste.
Tip #5: Limit sugary foods.
What happens to your teeth and gums when you eat sugary food? Picture this: after eating sugary foods, the sugar molecules mix with saliva and the bacteria present in the mouth. The result of the combination? Plaque on teeth. Plaque can dissolve enamel if left on teeth—which leads to cavities. Sugar can also cause gum disease in the mouth.
If left untreated, the gum disease may advance to more serious complications. As much as possible, avoid eating too many sugary foods. Brush as soon as you can after eating sugary food.
When you follow all these dental care practices, they not only promote good dental health but also keep your picture-perfect smile bright!
The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.
