Taking care of your teeth is just as important as taking care of the rest of your body. Apart from bad breath, there are a host of other problems like tooth loss, gum disease and oral cancer that could arise if you do not pay any attention to the health of your gums and teeth.
To avoid these problems, we’ve listed oral hygiene habits you need to develop to preserve your dental health.
Table of Contents
1 Brush your teeth properly at least twice a day.
Brushing your teeth may seem simple enough, but there is a right way to do it. Follow these tips when brushing:
- Brush once in the morning and once in the evening. In the evening, it’s recommended to brush right before you go to bed.
- Wait 30 minutes to 1 hour after you eat to brush your teeth. While it’s good practice to brush after a meal, don’t do it right away. Acid builds up in your mouth when you eat which can make your teeth vulnerable. Waiting for the acid to subside could save your teeth from damage.
- Brush for at least 2 minutes. Doing so removes nearly twice as much plaque as brushing for only 1 minute, thus ensuring that you are giving your teeth a thorough clean.
- Brush gently. Overbrushing, or toothbrush abrasion, can wear away at the enamel of your teeth and can cause your gums to recede over time. Worse, it may result to discomfort of your mouth and may lead to burning mouth syndrome.
- Don’t forget to brush your tongue. Plaque build-up can also happen on your tongue. Give it a good scrubbing with your toothbrush to remove any plaque-causing bacteria.
2 Use toothpaste with fluoride.
Fluoride is one of the primary defences against tooth decay. It fights against bacteria, provides a protective barrier over teeth, and remineralizes teeth, strengthening the enamel.
Although fluoride has come under fire due to the risks that overexposure poses on health, optimal levels necessary for tooth health is significantly below what the WHO deems dangerous (above 1.5 mg/litre of water). Fluoride is naturally found in various substances including food and water. Unless you’re swallowing copious amounts of fluoride toothpaste and drinking hundreds of glasses of fluoridated water every day, you’re in no danger from fluoride.
However, even small amounts of fluoride may harm babies or very young children. Use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste when you’re brushing their teeth.
3 Floss regularly.
Even those who brush their teeth religiously may neglect to floss. However, brushing alone is not enough. While brushing cleans teeth surfaces, flossing cleans the spaces in between teeth and should not be neglected. It allows you to remove plaque as well as those stubborn pieces of food that can get stuck in your teeth.
Floss at least once a day and use a slow and gentle back-and-forth motion to keep from damaging your gums.
4 Adopt healthy eating habits.
- Drink adequate amounts of water. Water is the best beverage when it comes to promoting overall health. Even when it’s not fluoridated, water can prevent acid from accumulating in your mouth and stimulates the production of saliva (which is a natural defence against bacteria).
- Eat nutrient-rich food. Food, particularly fruits and vegetables, that contain minerals like calcium, phosphate, vitamins A, C, and D, promote the health of bones and teeth.
- Avoid sugary and acidic food and drinks. Sugar turns into acid. Acid wears down the enamel of your teeth and causes tooth decay.
5 Visit your dentist once every six months.
Unlike medical checkups which are only recommended once a year, a dental checkup needs to be done twice annually to maintain your oral health. Simcoe Smile Dental can spot and treat minor problems before they turn into major issues. They can also recognize symptoms of other major diseases (like diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer) and can alert you to these problems.
Preserve the health of your mouth by turning to the nearest dentist. Oshawa, Toronto, and other major cities are home to various dental practices that offer a wide range of dental services.