”5 Ways To Improve Your Dental Health” is a collaborative post and includes affiliate links. Please see the disclosure page for more information. Disclaimer – always verify medical information with your doctor or a professional and follow all laws for your location.
Everybody loves a pleasant smile, and excellent oral hygiene plays a huge role when it comes to healthy living. Having good oral health goes far beyond brushing your teeth every day and flossing. It also has a lot to do with other dental care practices that you may be ignoring every day. Take a look at some ways to improve your dental health daily besides flossing and brushing.
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Brushing Before Breakfast vs After Breakfast
Many people are in the habit of fixing themselves some fresh fruit juice in the morning before brushing teeth. This is especially true for those who prefer to have breakfast before cleaning their pearly whites. That’s okay if you did not forget to brush the night before. However, if you belong to this group of people, you may want to hold off brushing for a while after having your breakfast.
If acidic foods form a part of your before-brushing breakfast ritual, then brushing immediately after eating is a bad idea. This is because acidic foods and drinks soften the tooth’s enamel temporarily. If you brush immediately after consuming such acidic food, you will be removing some parts of your tooth’s enamel. This will put your teeth at risk of decay with time. So, whenever you consume juices, citrus fruits, wine, soda, or even tomatoes, try waiting 30 to 60 minutes before brushing.
Use Brushes With Soft Bristles
You’re probably aware that you should be changing your toothbrush every two to three months. However, if your toothbrush can rival your dish scrubbing brush, then you should get rid of it immediately. Firm or even medium-bristled brush may sound and feel like they are doing quite the job on your teeth, but they are actually causing more harm than good. This is because such toothbrushes can be very abrasive and, over time, will cause damage to your enamel. Also, using a hard-bristled brush will put your gums at greater risk of injury and possible infections.
Instead, opt for toothbrushes with soft bristles. Proper brushing of the teeth has very little or nothing to do with brushing rigorously. It only requires a gentle amount of pressure while tilting the brush at an angle of 45 degrees against the gum line. Make sure to brush in a short and circular motion and the front, cap, and back of the teeth. And something people don’t think about is remembering to wash your toothbrush holder regularly.
There’s Such A Thing As Too Much Brushing
Absolutely! You can actually over-brush your teeth. It was previously recommended to brush after every meal. Brushing after breakfast, lunch, and supper is good enough. At least, brushing twice a day (morning and evening before bedtime) is recommended. However, when you start to over brush for too long, you cause damage to your teeth with time. Brushing three times a day should be the maximum number of times. Also, brushing for longer than two minutes each time can cause the enamel of your teeth to wear down rapidly. This will, with time, cause untimely harm or damage to your teeth and even gums.
What you can do after each meal or snack to stop you from too much brushing is to rinse your mouth with plain water. To dislodge any food particles lodging in between your teeth, force water through the tiny gaps by swishing vigorously. And like I hear almost every time I visit the dentist – “Don’t forget to floss!”
Eat Teeth-Whitening Food
Some kinds of food actually help to clean the teeth and keep them pearly and gleaming. Raw vegetables and crisp fruits such as carrots, apples, and celery can help freshen the teeth and get rid of plaque. Vitamin C, antioxidant vitamins, as well as other nutrients from vegetables and fruits can help to protect the gum and other tissues from bacterial infection and cell damage. Plus, the opposite types of food can cause more damage; do not consume too many sugary drinks throughout the day. Constant exposure of the teeth to sugary drinks causes certain types of bacteria to feel at home in your mouth. These are bacteria that feed on the left-over sugary particles to mobilize them into lactic acid. Cavities begin to form when the lactic acid begins to dissolve the minerals in your teeth.
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Regular Dental Checkups
You can supplement all the above tips ways to improve your dental health with regular visits to your dentist for checkups and examinations. Experienced family dentists like Dr. Inna Silman in New Jersey are always ready to assist you and your family with all your dental issues. Check with friends and family in your area for the best local dentist. You do not have to wait until something is wrong before visiting a dentist. Regular dental examinations will help to identify potential issues even before they become a serious problem.
These 5 tips for improving your dental health can be a step in the right direction to help your teeth and gums. Be sure to check with your dentist for best practices.
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I get up early every morning and brush our teeth but i never went to the doctor for a check-up. I think i should checkup our teens. Thanks for the awareness.