When it comes to following a healthy lifestyle, maintaining dental hygiene is often the last thing that comes across our minds. People often tend to ignore simple toothaches, as it seems to have little to no effect on their wellbeing.However, your teeth deserve as much care as any other part of your body as they play an essential role in maintaining your overall health. Seemingly insignificant issues such as toothaches can result in infections that can travel into your body, causing life-threatening diseases due to a lack of Oral hygiene. In contrast, spotless teeth not only give you an attractive smile but also save you from illnesses that can haunt you for life. However, there’s much more to dental health than brushing your teeth twice a day. Thesefive practices will help you maintain healthy oral hygiene:
1. Get a fluoride toothpaste
Many people focus on the flavors, whitening abilities, and brands when choosing toothpaste. However, the best way to choose the right one is by checking if it contains fluoride. As long as your toothpaste contains fluoride, your teeth and gums won’t be harmed. Fluoride toothpaste is the best defense against germs responsible for tooth decay and effectively reduces cavities. Additionally, fluoride is also known to strengthen tooth enamel, giving your teeth extra protection against acids commonly found in food. If you have a severe problem with tooth decay, you can get a high fluoride toothpaste for better effect. However, to prevent side effects, you should never swallow fluoride toothpaste.
While fluoride toothpaste isan excellent teeth whitener, it might not be enough for those with serious staining and tartar. Simply using toothpaste in such a situation will not yield significant results quickly. Instead, you will need to get your teeth whitened by a professional. Doing so will save you from further teeth discoloration and give you a bright white smile. Many dentists also offer teeth whitening services, which can get expensive, especially in Brisbane. If you’re a Brisbane resident, you can look up“teeth whitening Brisbane“ to explore options near youand get professional advice to understand the costs associated with the procedure you choose.
2. Brush Correctly
While we’re all aware of brushing our teeth twice a day, there are several other things to consider for the proper use of a toothbrush. No matter how many times you brush your teeth in a day, it won’t make a difference if you’re not doing it correctly. One of the most critical aspects of brushing is moving your brush in a circular motion. Doing so will make sure you remove any plaque buildup on your teeth effectively. However, it’s important to remember always to brush gently. Being aggressive while cleaning your teeth will only damage your gums and tooth enamel instead of clearing up plaque.
Moreover, it would be best to clean your entire mouth while brushing your teeth. People often tend to forget to clean the back of their teeth, leading to plaque buildup that can be hard to get rid of. So, spend at least two minutes cleaning your teeth to make sure there’s no surface left unclean.
3. Visit the dentist frequently
Most people visit the dentist when they’ve already developed a dental health issue. However, this isn’t the right approach to maintaining oral hygiene, as the risk of developing oralproblems still exists. Instead, it would be best to opt for a preventative approach by visiting the dentist frequently or once every six months. Getting regular checkups will allow you to get rid of any tartar before it gets difficult to remove. But more importantly, regular checkups will enable your dentist to identify early signs of gum disease, cavities, and other serious issues.
As a result, you will be able to avoid dangerous oral illnesses by eliminating them in advance. For instance, if you’re developing an infection, your dentist will be able to stop it before it gets out of hand. In addition to this, regular checkups are essential for dentists to collect patient data that might be needed for developing more effective treatments. The more your dentist knows your teeth, the better you recover from oral illnesses.
4. Use the right products
Toothbrushes and toothpaste are not the only dental products you’ll need to maintain healthy oral hygiene. Unfortunately,95% of dentists see patients who struggle to remove plaque using only mechanical means such as toothbrushes. Your mouth requires several different cleaning tools to be cleaned effectively. One such tool is dental floss. Flossing your teeth at least twice a day removes any food particles and reduces the risk of plaque, gum disease, tooth decay, and receding gums. However, for tightly spaced teeth, it’s better to use waxed floss that can pass smoothly between your teeth. You can also use dental picks for food particles that cannot be removed using floss.
Furthermore, it’s also a good idea to use a tongue scraper and dental floss. Scraping your tongue will get rid of bad breath effectively and reduce infections. In addition to this, you can also use a mouthwash that helps to reduce bad breath and prevent infections such as gingivitis. Moreover, teeth whiteners that use peroxide are great for bleaching your teeth.
5. Avoid consuming harmful foods
Regardless of how many dental products you use, your oral hygiene will always remain poor if you continue to follow a harmful diet. One of the most dangerous foods for your teeth is sugar. Food items such as candy and desserts are well-known causes of cavities and similar problems. The WHO has advised people to keep their daily sugar intake below 10 percent of their daily calorie intake to maintain healthy oral hygiene and improve overall health. So, if you’ve been following a high sugar diet, make sure you reduce your sugar intake before it’s too late.
However, along with sugary foods, starchy foods are equally dangerous as they cause tooth decay. In addition, starchy foods such as pasta and chips can stay longer in the mouth and break down into simple sugars that form the feed for acid-producing bacteria. So, instead of eating starchy food items, shift to using fruits and vegetables high in fiber.
Conclusion
Maintaining your oral hygiene is essential to improving your overall wellbeing. Failing to do so does not only harm your teeth but also the rest of your body. However, following the right practices can help you promote your health. So, keep in mind the techniques mentioned above for a better smile and improved health.