6 Tips To Look After Your Oral Health

December 11, 2014, Medgaus Dental Care

You want to make sure that you have a healthy white smile throughout your life. There are simple steps that you can take in your daily life in order to ensure that you achieve this goal. Taking care of your oral health doesn't need to be rocket science; all it requires is a conscious commitment to making simple changes to benefit your teeth and gums. Here are six tips to look after you oral health.

Get a checkup and cleaning from your dentist twice a year.

Your dentist helps you to safeguard your oral health, keeping your smile healthy and white. You should visit your dentist twice a year to have your mouth inspected and to have your teeth cleaned. Your dentist can identify any underlying troubles with your teeth and the soft tissues of your mouth, including bacterial infections that lead to tooth decay and persistent bad breath.

Replace your toothbrush every three months.

It is important to replace your toothbrush every three months. Over time, harmful bacteria builds up on the bristles of your old toothbrush. Eventually, the buildup of bacteria prevents your toothbrush from adequately cleaning your teeth, gums, and tongue. Using a toothbrush that is too old can also contaminate your mouth with bacterial colonies from the bristles of the toothbrush, leading to tooth decay.

Drink tooth staining beverages through a straw.

The harmful sugar and acid particles in beverages such as soda, coffee, and red wine bind with bacteria, breaking down the enamel of your teeth and yellowing your smile. In order to lessen the harmful effects of these beverages, try drinking them through a straw. Do not allow the beverage to wash up against your teeth; instead, enjoy the taste and swallow quickly.

Enjoy some ice cold water after you eat.

Water is not only good for your body, it is also good for your teeth. Drink a glass of water after eating a meal or a sugary snack. The water helps to wash away harmful food particles that would have stayed on your teeth. You should also follow up a sugary beverage with a glass of water.

Eat more crunchy fruits and vegetables.

Crunchy fruits and vegetables help you get a whiter smile. The vigorous chewing required to break down an apple, carrot, pear, or celery stalk stimulates the production of saliva. Your saliva is your natural defense against against plaque build up; like water, it helps to wash away harmful food particles that bind with bacteria that product plaque. You can also enjoy the sweetness of a crunchy piece of fruit without the guilt; the high water content of fruit neutralizes its natural sugars.

Add more dairy to your diet.

Dairy acts as a buffer against the harmful effects of acid and sugar particles in your mouth, neutralizing their harmful effects on your enamel. Dairy also fights off tooth decay by strengthening your teeth. Foods such as yogurt, cheese, and milk are high in calcium and phosphorus; these two minerals strengthen your teeth by replacing minerals that are degraded by plaque.

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