8 Oral Hygiene Tips

Many individuals neglect their oral health, thinking their teeth are fine. But the truth is, oral health is not only important to your teeth, gums, tongue and mouth, but to your overall health.

Many individuals feel better when their smile is healthier. There are many ways to whiten and brighten your teeth, including LED teeth whiteners. There are also things you will need to avoid in order to keep your smile shiny and bright.

Below are 8 oral hygiene tips you should always practice to keep your mouth healthy and your teeth white.

1. Avoid Tobacco

Smoking is bad for your lungs but will also permanently stain your teeth a gray or dull yellow. Smoking tobacco can also affect your cardiovascular health and your mouth becomes a breeding ground for bad bacteria that can rot your teeth and gums.

Chewing tobacco products are also unhealthy as they could also stain teeth, cause bad breath from bacteria, and cause oral cancer in your mouth.

If you smoke or chew tobacco, rinse your mouth out with warm water or a mouthwash after each smoke or chew. Also pay close attention to brushing your teeth to keep the tobacco, bacteria out of between your teeth.

Tobacco products will stain your teeth a deep yellow faster than any other substance. These stains are also harder to remove and become permanent reminders that you are a smoker or tobacco, product user.

Try to quit smoking and or chewing tobacco products. It is not only bad for your health, but will eventually cause tooth decay, which will cause you to need dentures and fake teeth are not at all like your real teeth.

2. Mind Your Tongue

Most individuals don’t brush their tongue on a regular basis, and this is where a lot of bacteria live. Brushing your tongue, like you brush your teeth, removes food particles and bad breath bacteria.

Additionally, keeping your tongue clean with brushing will help to prevent sore, red, and inflamed gums, which can lead to gingivitis and/or periodontal disease.
Do not brush your tongue too hard or for too long but do it at least once a day. There are special tongue brushes and some adaptors that you can add to the bottom of a toothbrush.

3. The Importance of Fluoride

Many water companies add fluoride to their tap water, however, not all do this. It is important to get enough daily fluoride, but too much of the teeth strengthening rinse will cause white spots to discolor your teeth.

Most kinds of toothpaste and mouthwashes come with fluoride in them and this should be enough, but if your water supply has added fluoride, you’ll want to cut back on the fluoride toothpaste.

4. Visit the Dentist

It is recommended to visit a dentist twice a year. This is for deep cleaning of your teeth and mouth, as well as for x-rays and a checkup.

Your dentist will be checking your mouth for anything that points to cancer or other oral mouth issues. Additionally, painful teeth can be a sign of illness and prevent you from eating properly. This needs to be addressed as soon as possible to avoid further damage to your mouth and overall health.

Don’t skimp on the dentist visits. They are important for keeping your mouth, teeth and gums in the best shape they can be in. Most dental plans offer at least one checkup and cleaning per year as a preventative measure.

5. Chew Gum

While it is always best to brush your teeth after a meal or snack, chewing gum can also clean your teeth. Be sure to chew gum that is sugar-free and don’t chew it for long periods of time. Chewing gum for too long promotes jaw pain and if it is too sugary, cavities will form.

Chewing gum can increase the amount of saliva in your mouth, which in turn will help to loosen food particles left between teeth. Using a quick mouthwash as well as chewing gum will double the cleaning power without a toothbrush.

6. Be Gentle

Many individuals believe that brushing harder will somehow make their teeth cleaner and whiter. However, this is not the case. You need to be gentle when it comes to brushing your teeth.

Take your time with brushing. When teaching young children to brush their teeth, we ask them to sing a two to a three-minute song.

This is a good idea for adults as well. Brush for an entire song on the radio or sing a favorite song. Think about each tooth as an individual item needing brushing and not a group. This will help you slow down, brushing and promote a more gentle brushing.
Gentle cleaning will help to promote your gums into a healthy glow without bleeding. And gently brushing promotes whiter, brighter teeth.

7. Avoid Sugar

Sugary candy and sodas can weaken the enamel or surface of your teeth, allowing cavities and harmful holes to form. Cavities and holes in your teeth are painful and can lead to other health issues.

An occasional sweet treat or soda is not going to hurt you or your teeth. It is when you drink several sodas a day and eat sugary candy all day long that is harmful to your teeth. Stick with water as it is better for your teeth and your body overall.

8. Flossing

Many individuals skip flossing saying it isn’t important and often too complicated. Invest in some floss picks and use them before brushing your teeth in the evening, the most important time to brush.

Floss picks come in a variety of styles like satin or silk ribbons and use the same “sawing” motion, but they are easier to maneuver around each individual tooth than a long string of floss.

Be gentle with the toothpick end of flossing sticks as they can harm the gums and lead to infections.

Take care of your teeth, gums, and mouth and you will not need to have them replaced with fake ones. People with dentures report more issues than those who have kept their own teeth. Your overall health will be better as well when you keep your mouth and teeth healthy.