Want to make sure that your teeth are well taken care of? It’s really important to have good oral health habits because a dental problem may have more negative consequences than you can ever imagine!
If you really don’t take care of your teeth, it won’t be long before cavities and unhealthy gums make your mouth very, very sore. Eating meals will be difficult. You won’t feel like smiling much either. Proper oral care can keep you smiling well into retirement. Brushing at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristle brush are as important as ever. Flossing can help you save your teeth by removing plaque between teeth and below the gum line that your toothbrush cannot reach.
Following are some easy and important tips that help you to take good care of your teeth.
Brush Your Teeth:
Brush your teeth thoroughly at least twice a day, for two minutes each time. Make sure you brush on all sides of your teeth and get your tongue. You can ask your dentist for a demonstration. It is best to do one of these times before you go to bed, as your mouth does not have the same salivary protection when you are sleeping as it does during the day. If you can, brush after lunch as well. Brushing during the day will reduce the damage caused by plaque byproducts and toxins.
Dry Brush:
Use a dry bristle brush for the first two minutes of cleaning. It’s not the toothpaste that “cleans” your teeth, it’s the mechanical action of the bristles in physical contact with the tooth surface that removes plaque. You can do a magnificent job brushing your teeth using a dry brush and rinsing with water.
Gum Line:
Spend time moving the bristles at and below the gum line, where it is most important to clean. The toothpaste can go on after those two minutes, and you can have the advantage of fluoride, whitening, stain removal or whatever works better for you because it’s applied to a nice clean surface.
Floss Your Teeth:
Floss your teeth daily and after any food that will stick in your teeth (i.e. Corn, caramel, peanut butter, etc.). This cleans the other sides of your teeth that you couldn’t reach with your toothbrush.
Mouth Wash:
Fluoride mouthwashes help to strengthen tooth enamel. Teach children between the age of six and twelve good rinsing skills to prevent swallowing. Use right before you got to bed is a good time.
Food Preventions:
The modern diet is the basic and a major cause of the bacteria and plaque. Prevent the Foods that cause plaque on the tooth’s surface.
- Snacking constantly can cause plaque to build up on your teeth, which can increase the risk of getting cavities.
- Sugar feeds the bacteria in your mouth, which then excrete substances that break down tooth enamel.
- Fruit juices are full of acids and natural sugars. Keep drinking these to a minimum or only drink them at meal times, when the saliva is flowing most.
You need to know how to prevent problems by having your skills evaluated. If you are not effective with flossing and brushing technique, you are only wasting your time while leaving the door open for infection and disease. How many times a day you brush & floss, or how long you spend brushing are all SECONDARY to your degree of skill using them.
