Dental Hygiene

 

Five Awesome Tips

Sure, we all know about the rule of brushing twice a day, every day, and having a bottle of mouthwash at the ready by the bathroom sink. But is there anything more you can do for your teeth, to keep them healthy and strong? Yes, absolutely! Keep reading for a list of five fool-proof tips that you can start implementing today, which will keep your teeth in sparkling shape!

Floss your teeth regularly

There is a fair reason why all the dentists and commercials insist on flossing. Brushing will clean the surface of your teeth, but even the thinnest bristle does not reach in between them. Flossing is the only really effective way to dig up and get rid of food residue and other undesirable content that gets stuck in between the teeth. Make a point of flossing thoroughly at least once per day.

Brush your mouth right

Yes, you read that correctly: brush your mouth. Just brushing the teeth does not hack it. Your gums, your tongue, and the roof of the mouth need a good cleaning as well. Be honest, how often do you even think about them?

Brush your gum with an up and down – back and forth movement, holding the brush at roughly a 45-degree angle. Do both the outer and inner side of the teeth ridges, and brush lightly: too much pressure will cause damage and bleeding.

Then brush the surface of the tongue, and then the roof of the mouth. This will clear out all the nasty bacterial sediment that gives you bad breath. For a more specific guide on how to properly clean your tongue, check out this handy how-to article.

Eat a teeth-friendly diet

The things you eat on a day to day basis obviously have a huge impact on your teeth. The sad news is, most of the stuff that tastes great is actually not so great for your chompers. Of course, you probably already know to avoid excessive sweets, processed sugars, high doses of salt, and extremely acidic foods. But then what are you supposed to snack on?!

Fortunately for all of us, there are some tasty snacks available which are also good friends to our teeth. These include various nuts, fruit in general and apples in particular, vegetables and chicken meat. Another great option is having some cheese, which is beneficial in that it tricks your salivary gland into producing more saliva than usual. This helps neutralize the acid in your mouth, which in turn protects the teeth from corrosion.

Do not run from the dentist

Seriously, though. Even if you religiously adhere to all of the other tips on this list, you are still not excused from timely visits to your dental health care provider. Experts from Richmond Smiles Dental near Melbourne point out that regular oral checkups and professional teeth cleaning can help prevent or outright avoid a whole host of serious issues further along the road. A steady checkup schedule is the perfect way to get an edge over dental problems that you might not be able to identify, or even notice, at home.

Introduce fluoride into your bedtime routine

This may sound a little bit odd at first but consider not rinsing your teeth after you brush them before your bedtime. Toothpaste contains fluorides, which strengthen the surface of the teeth, so it actually helps to have them sticking around for a while. Well, obviously, you are not going to walk around with toothpaste residue in your mouth for the entire day. Never mind that it looks too wrong, but you will likely swallow it by mistake or along with your lunch.

So, logically, this little fluoride boost has no place in your morning routine before heading to work. The evening, though, is a different story. After you brush your teeth, do not rinse the toothpaste off, just spit it out and let the residue sit on your teeth for a while. If you have just had your dinner, brush your teeth and mouth twice: once to clean off the remaining food and get rid of the bacteria, and then again to set up your fluoride coat.