It’s not until you start experiencing toothaches that you realize the importance of proper dental care. Proper dental care involves more than just brushing your teeth. Though brushing does help keep your teeth clean, there’s a lot you should do to ensure that you take care of your teeth as you should. From regular dental visits to flossing to using the right toothbrush, here are some tips on how to take good care of your teeth.
- Watch What You Eat
It’s common knowledge that sweets ruin your pearly whites. Sugar attracts bad bacteria which cause tooth decay and cavities. Therefore, you should try to avoid them or minimizes how much you eat candy. Go for foods that promote good dental care such as dairy products, fresh fruits, and vegetables. If you must eat sugary foods, ensure that you brush your teeth immediately. It’s Wise To Avoid These Foods If You Have Dentures
- Be Gentle
Technique matters a lot when it comes to proper dental care. You could brush your teeth every day but if you do it the wrong way, you may end up injuring yourself. Avoid putting so much pressure when brushing as this could bruise your gums. The proper way is to move your toothbrush in circular motions on all sides of the mouth. You should do this for at least 2 minutes.
- Floss Regularly
Flossing gets in places where your toothbrush can’t reach. It removes food particles and bacteria in between your teeth reducing the amount of plaque in your mouth. Therefore, it’s just as important to floss daily as it is to brush. You should also have the right technique when flossing to avoid hurting your gums.
- Break off about 18 inches of floss to hold it correctly
- Hold the floss with your thumb and index finger
- Place in between your teeth and glide up and down
- Do not glide on your gums. Instead, curve the floss when you reach the gum
- Repeat in between each tooth.
- Use A Mouth Wash
Apart from brushing and flossing, it’s necessary to use a mouthwash to ensure that your teeth are as clean as possible. Since it’s in liquid form, it’s able to go even deeper to clean your teeth and mouth. Additionally, mouthwash kills bacteria in your mouth thus reducing the risk of developing mouth diseases. However, young children shouldn’t use mouthwash as they are more likely to swallow it.
- Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly
You should be more proactive in replacing your toothbrush. Generally, you’re supposed to replace your toothbrush every three months. However, you can replace it as soon as you notice the bristles losing their form. As the toothbrush bristles wear out, brushing becomes less effective and could even cause injuries. Therefore, you shouldn’t wait for your toothbrush to look worn out in order to replace it.
- Pay Your Dentist A Visit
This might be obvious but in reality, most people don’t visit the dentist unless they have a problem. This is quite risky as oral diseases can lead to more serious problems such as cardiovascular diseases. Additionally, the longer you wait to treat oral diseases increases the chances of losing your teeth. Try to visit your dentist at least twice a year to ensure that your teeth are in good condition.
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- Avoid Smoking
Smoking is not only unhygienic for dental care but also it can cause serious mouth diseases such as oral cancer. Tobacco is known for causing other kinds of cancer. Though oral cancer isn’t as common as lung cancer, it still increases the risk of developing the disease. Prolonged smoking can also stain your teeth thus ruining your pearly white smile. Dental Care: 10 Things To Know About Teeth Whitening
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