Dental health is an integral contributor to a healthy body and should be given the care it deserves. With all the things that we expose our teeth to, ensuring you are taking care of them is important in improving their efficiency and the way they look.
Studies prove that your dental health highly affects your confidence which translates into your social life for both adults and kids alike. Having clean teeth requires more than just regular cleaning; it comes to how often you do it, what else you incorporate in this habit, and how effectively it’s done.
In this article, Allure Dental will advise you on how to improve your dental hygiene routine while making it fun for you and safe for your teeth and gums.
Brush twice a day
We have all grown up being told to brush our teeth after every meal to ensure our mouth is debris-free. Although this habit is effective, it exposes the gums and enamel to long-term damage. Dentists advise that brushing your teeth twice a day (after breakfast and before you sleep) is much safer for your dental health.
While brushing, we encourage doing it for 2-3 minutes per session. In this period, concentrate 30 seconds in individual sections of your mouth while slowly scrubbing to ensure you cover all areas. Ensure you are giving each tooth maximum attention without forgetting the section the tooth joins to the gum.
Studies show that waiting for about an hour to brush your teeth after consuming foods with high acidity can be helpful for your teeth. This is because foods with low pH such as citrus fruits, soda, and wine soften the crown of your teeth, placing your enamel at risk when you scrub immediately after.
After brushing, it is important to incorporate an antibacterial mouthwash that removes all bacteria leaving your mouth fresh and clean.
Eat healthy food
Consuming healthy foods like wholegrain and a plant-based diet can help your teeth against cavities. This will not only give your body the necessary nutrients for strengthening your bones but your teeth and gums as well. When you take sugary or acidic foodstuff, ensure they are consumed in one session with water to avoid staining your teeth.
Improving your dental hygiene routine will involve actively switching sugary food for healthier ones. This includes all snacks, chewing gums, and soft-carbonated drinks like sodas and substituting them with fruits, sugarless gums, and water.
Ensure your kids consume lots of crunchy fruits and food with fibers that help in strengthening their teeth. Slowly integrate apples, carrots, sugarcane, and raw sweet potatoes into their diet to help them both activate the gums and keep the teeth healthier.
Avoid mushy and sticky counterparts that can hurt their teeth while placing them at risk of plaques and cavities.
Floss regularly
Flossing deserves the same respect as brushing your teeth. Although many people fail to incorporate it into their dental hygiene routine, flossing once a day can help remove bacteria, food particles stuck in the teeth and reduce plaque.
Flossing can be more effective when done in the evening before brushing your teeth to remove any debris that may have accumulated during the day.
Invest in a better toothbrush
Many would debate which is the best brand for a toothbrush in the market today with all the advertisements you see everywhere. Brands aside, a good toothbrush should have soft bristles and be easy to handle.
This too applies to electric toothbrushes that continuously clean your mouth while you apply minimum pressure moving it around to cover every part of your mouth.
Avoid using toothbrushes with hard bristles as they expose you to the loss of enamel and hurt gums. You should continually change your toothbrush after every 2-3 months to ensure your brushing is effective.
Visit your dentist
While it might seem like an expensive affair to see a dentist, it is an investment that will surely reward you every day of your life. Regular visits to the dentist, either once or twice a year, are the best way to ensure you maintain your dental hygiene routine.
Bonus – don’t forget your tongue
With all said and done, do not forget to take care of your tongue. The tongue can be argued as the most susceptible to bacteria and debris in your mouth. Getting a metal or plastic scraper is essential in establishing this habit, scraping your tongue from the outside forward to remove all the bad-breath-causing bacteria.
Whether you are looking to start or improve your dental hygiene routine, slowly introducing these tips can help you have healthy teeth and gums. Your daily habits will also help you keep your teeth healthy. Quitting smoking is recommended to protect your teeth from discoloration or prevent bad breath.