How to Maintain Healthy Teeth for Beginners
Far too often we find ourselves caught up in the midst of things that we forget to do some of the simple things, like taking care of our oral health. Adults across the country believe their white smile to be a lost cause due to years of dental neglect, including teeth brushing and flossing. Luckily, there’s a way for you to recapture healthy teeth in very little time and keep them healthy moving forward. One way is to always communicate and work with your dentist. However, with the time you spend away from the dentist you can achieve healthy teeth and a whiter smile starting with these tips!
Always Brush Your Teeth Before Bed
There are people who believe brushing their teeth at night is pointless. After all, you’re going to do the same thing the moment you wake up in the morning! However, brushing your teeth before bed is crucial. The fluoride inside toothpaste promotes the production of saliva. Your body produces saliva as a way to neutralize floating acids in your mouth and cleanse bacteria off the surface of your teeth. By passing up on brushing your teeth at night, you’re creating a breeding ground for bacteria to take over inside your mouth, which can lead to inflammation, infection and even tooth decay. Plus, you’ll wake up with a sour taste in your mouth and the feeling of weak or sore teeth.
Brush Your Teeth Using the Right Technique
Brushing your teeth isn’t just moving the brush up and down your teeth for two minutes. You have to have a solid technique that works. The next time you’re in the bathroom, pay attention. You should be brushing your teeth at a 45-degree angle, using small strokes up and down each tooth to clean along its surface. It’s easy to skip a section of your teeth. To prevent that start on one side of your mouth and slowly work your way to the other. There’s no need for you to bounce around when brushing your teeth. Lastly, don’t put too much pressure on your teeth. Too much pressure can wear down the enamel of your teeth. Use gentle motions to prevent this.
Don’t Forget to Clean Your Tongue
This is a big mistake nearly everyone makes during their hygiene routine. Your tongue is just as susceptible to becoming a breeding ground for bacteria as your teeth are, not to mention it can cause bad breath. When it comes to cleaning your teeth, use a tongue scraper, not your toothbrush. You don’t want whatever comes off your tongue to find itself between the bristles of your toothbrush. A tongue scraper on the other hand makes it easy to gently rub off any bacteria on your tongue and prevent any plaque from building up.
Floss Once a Day, Everyday
We emphasize brushing your teeth, but we also suggest flossing at least once a day. Brushing your teeth only cleans 60% of your teeth as you aren’t able to get in between teeth. That’s where flossing comes in.
With the right technique you can floss in under a minute. Take about a foot of floss and wind each side around the index finger of each hand until you have about 3 inches available. Use a curved, C-shape motion to gently push in between your teeth without hurting your gums. Rotate out the segment of floss you’re using after every tooth as you don’t want the gunk you just got out to run through your teeth again. Quality flossing comes with practice, so don’t shy away from it after only a couple times.
Reduce Your Sugar Intake
The biggest enemy to your teeth is sugar. Sugary foods, once broken down, develop into harmful acids that eat away at your teeth. Sugar is the leading cause of tooth decay, making a statement its not messing around. The saliva you produce can only do so much to combat the acids that form from the breakdown of sugar.
Fortunately, fighting this is as easy as avoiding foods with high sugar concentrate. Healthier options that should already be in your diet include fruits, vegetables and some tree nuts. If you’re looking for a soda replacement, drink more water and milk. Not only does milk give you the boost you need, it also contains plenty of Calcium and Vitamin D, essential nutrients to keep up strong and healthy teeth.
Don’t Ignore Any Aches or Pains
Your teeth are of utmost importance. So, if you ever experience aching or pain and it doesn’t ebb away, get in touch with your dentist immediately. Don’t brush off a toothache, gum sensitivity or even jaw pain as a one time thing. It can be a sign of even bigger problems with your oral health in the future. Let your dentist uncover the underlying issue and help you before it worsens.
Take Measures to Keep Your Oral Equipment Clean
You can follow all of the steps above, but it won’t matter if you aren’t taking care of your oral equipment, including your toothbrush. After every use, be sure to rinse your toothbrush in warm water to clean and kill any bacteria that’s stuck between the bristles. Store your toothbrush in an upright position and inside a medicine cabinet, preferable with a bristle cap on top.
You want your toothbrush out of the way of everything else in the bathroom. Why? Your toothbrush just happens to be in the same air space as your toilet. Chances are, if you leave your toothbrush on the counter it’s home to a varying degree of fecal matter. Yes, fecal matter. Fortunately, toothbrushes are easily replaceable, and you can start taking the correct measures to keep your toothbrush clean.
The Best Way to Find More Information
Taking care of your teeth is important and we hope that the tips above are easy and simple enough for you to follow with out a problem. However, if you want to know even more ways to achieve healthy teeth and a whiter smile, you can always contact One Stop Implants & Dental. Our team of dentists and certified hygienists will help you find new ways to take care of your teeth that works for you.
Get in touch with us today online or by phone at (800) 862-2249. Other ways include liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter or even subscribing to our YouTube channel!
