Proper oral hygiene is important if you want to keep your gums and teeth healthy. Good oral hygiene involves regular teeth checkups, brushing twice every day and more.
But oral health is more than preventing gum and cavity diseases. Various research has shown that there is a strong correlation between your oral health and your overall health. Oral health problems are a global concern that should be taken seriously.
If gum diseases and tooth decay are not treated properly, they could cause speech problems, loss of self-esteem and confidence, chronic pain and tooth loss, malnutrition, and other issues that could negatively affect your work, office, and social life.
With proper personal and medical dental care, you can keep your gums and teeth healthy. Here are some oral hygiene tips that will keep your gums and teeth healthy.
1. Take calcium and other vitamins
Calcium and other vitamins are good for healthy gums, bones, and teeth. You can get calcium and other vitamins from food like cheese, yoghurt, broccoli, milk and various dairy products. Vitamins like iron, potassium. Iodine, zinc, and copper will help you maintain good dental hygiene. Vitamin B will help you have strong gums and teeth while preventing your teeth from cracking and bleeding.
2. Clean and Brush Your Teeth Twice Daily
Cleaning and brushing your teeth twice daily will keep your mouth and gums healthy. They will also keep away cavities and keep you with a lovely smile. Brush for at least 2 minutes, two times a day. Brush with the right toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss and other dental products with the American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance. You can contact a trusted dentist for more specific information on brushing habits for you and your kids.
3. Eat healthier snacks
You don’t have to eat sugary, unhealthy snacks all the time. You can go for healthier alternatives like fruits. The number of times you feast on sugary snacks affects your teeth more than the quantity of sugar that you consume. This is because bacteria in your mouth digest particles of food left on your teeth. As the bacteria digest the sugar in the particles, acids are produced that cause cavities and enamel erosion.
4. Drink a lot of water
When you drink a lot of water, your mouth produces more saliva. You should drink about 2 litres of water daily to stay hydrated. When you are not well-hydrated, your body stops producing saliva to preserve water. Then, you have a dry mouth, and a dry mouth decays faster.
5. Brush your teeth before going to bed
Anytime you brush your teeth at night, you get rid of plaque and germs that have accumulated throughout the day. Brush at night and one other time during the day.
6. Floss your teeth once every day
Dental floss can reach places where a toothbrush can’t reach and remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth. Flossing will remove food and particles trapped behind your teeth and prevent bad breath.
Flossing is recommended by the American Dental Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Several dentists recommend that you push the floss down to your gum line before you hug the side of the tooth with up-and-down motions. You should avoid up and down motions in between your teeth as this will cause you pain. Also, that kind of movement won’t remove plaque and debris effectively.
7. Have healthy eating habits
Healthy eating habits will go a long way in preserving your oral health. Whatever goes into your mouth affects your body along with your gums and teeth. Sugary food feeds bacteria that cause cavities in your mouth, and they produce acid that causes these cavities to appear in your enamel. So, the healthier the food you eat, the less chance there is of you having cavities in your mouth. Healthy foods contain calcium and other vitamins that will strengthen your teeth.
8. Drink tea regularly
Replace unhealthy drinks with tea. Research from the University of Rochester Medical Center has shown that black and green tea contain polyphenols and other compounds that can limit the growth of harmful bacteria on your teeth.
9. Clean your tongue when brushing
The bacteria on top of your tongue can cause bad breath and give you poor oral health. You can use a professional tongue cleaner to remove harmful bacteria on the surface of your tongue. This should be done every day.