June 04, 2021
Achieving and maintaining healthy teeth often involves taking proactive steps to care for them to avoid any long-term problems. It takes some work on your part and you have to be mindful of your habits daily.
If you want to keep your teeth healthy and clean in between your regular dentist visits, make sure to keep these tips in mind:
1. Practice Proper Brushing
Everybody knows that dentists highly recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day. However, if you don’t brush your teeth properly, it won’t matter how many times you brush daily.
Next time you brush your teeth, observe yourself. Hold your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and use circular motions while brushing your teeth. It’s one effective technique to get your teeth clean. To know more about brushing techniques, it’s always a good idea to find a dentist in Bankstown if you live in Sydney or any other dental health professional in your area.
However, to achieve better results from proper brushing, you must use the right toothbrush. You have to keep in mind that not all toothbrushes are the same. If possible, choose a soft-bristled toothbrush over hard bristles.
2. Avoid Drinking Soda
Soda contains excess sugar, which causes your teeth to break down in the long run. Aside from that, the fizzy ingredients of soda, such as phosphoric acid and citric acid, corrode your enamel and can make you susceptible to cavities. While drinking soda occasionally isn’t harmful, too much of it is unhealthy.
3. Don’t Neglect Flossing
One of the healthy practices to improve your oral health is flossing. It gets to places in your mouth that toothbrushes can’t reach. Other than proper brushing, flossing results in healthier gums and teeth. If done improperly, it won’t be effective and may result in gum damage.
To floss properly, wrap a few inches of floss between your fingers, unrolling a section for every tooth. Ensure that your floss is tight against every tooth to remove plaque effectively, but don’t do it too tight as it may damage your gums. To achieve a full-mouth clean, never forget about flossing behind your molars.
4. Avoid Tea And Coffee
These beverages could be great if you want a caffeine boost, but the daily consumption of tea and coffee can stain your teeth. Moreover, the caffeine may dry out your mouth. That’s why consumption must be kept to a minimum to maintain good teeth health.
5. Avoid Sticky Foods
Even if sticky foods like dried fruits make for healthy snacks, they usually stay in, on, and between your teeth for a longer period of time. This provides bacteria time to feed on the food. If you love eating dried fruits, make sure to take precautions like brushing your teeth or rinsing your mouth with water afterward.
6. Quit Smoking
Smoking isn’t only terrible for your lungs and heart, but it can also damage your teeth. This is because smoking can increase the number of bacteria and plaque in your mouth, which makes you prone to gum disease and tooth decay.
Also, the nicotine and tar in the cigarettes and some tobacco products eat away at your gums. For this reason, smokers are at risk of tooth loss and oral cancer. Whether or not you get your teeth cleaned often, smoking will just waste the money you invest in your dental cleaning sessions.
7. Chew Gum
While you want to ensure that you brush your teeth after every meal, it isn’t always possible. The best solution for this is to chew a sugar-free gum, which may work in a pinch as it can freshen your breath and remove the food residue until you have the time to brush your teeth.
Chewing gum can also increase your saliva. Take note that saliva contains some natural antibacterial properties, which stop the bacteria from feeding off food residue and prevent the build-up of plaque.
8. Use Mouthwash
To disinfect and rinse your mouth, always use mouthwash. It’ll get rid of any lingering bacteria and make sure you’ll have fresh breath for your checkup. Just pour the recommended amount of mouthwash in a small cup and swish it between your teeth for a minute. Then spit out the mouthwash.
9. Lessen Sugar Intake
Apart from reducing your soda consumption, you should also lessen your sugar intake. This will surely keep your teeth healthy and clean.
Keep in mind that sugar increases bacteria growth and acidity in your mouth, which can cause plaque. Plaque affects your teeth, gums, and enamel, making you susceptible to cavities and some oral problems. Flossing and brushing after eating sweets can help you maintain your oral health and ensure better and brighter smiles over time.
Conclusion
Following the tips in this article won’t only ensure cleaner teeth, but also you can be assured that your teeth will stay healthy in between dentist visits. Just make sure to follow these tips properly and always ask for more suggestions or recommendations from your dentist if you’re not sure about what you’re doing with your dental care routine.