Oral Hygiene Tips
Who doesn’t love the fresh feeling they experience after visiting a dentist for teeth cleaning ?
But, how do you maintain that feeling in between cleanings?
When it comes to dental care,Keep proper oral hygiene and don’t wait till it becomes UNBEARABLE !!!
Maintaining that just-out-of-the-dentist feeling is not as difficult as you would think !
Here are some tips that can help you keep your teeth clean in between dentist visits.
1. Keep the soda away-It’s no secret there exists a strong link between soda consumption and tooth decay. The “Sip All Day, Get Decay” slogan isn’t just meant to be a catchy tagline – it’s literally the truth!
Sugar in soda combines with bacteria in your mouth to form acid, which attacks the teeth. Diet or “sugar-free” soda contains its own acid, which also can damage teeth. Each attack lasts about 20 minutes and starts over with every sip of soda you take.
These ongoing acid attacks weaken tooth enamel. Kids and teens are most susceptible to tooth decay because their tooth enamel is not fully developed.
2. Cut Down on Sugar: In addition to cutting back on soda, decreasing your sugar intake will also help keep your teeth clean and healthy in between regular teeth cleaning appointments.
Sugar has a direct connection to tooth decay. After eating food that contains sugar, these molecules combine with saliva and bacteria present in the mouth. This combination leads to plaque on teeth. Left on teeth, plaque can dissolve enamel, which leads to cavities.
You don’t have to kick sugar to the curb completely, but limiting the amount you consume — and brushing and flossing after a sweet treat — will benefit your overall oral health.
Quit Smoking
3.Smoking is terrible for your teeth. No matter how clean they get when you visit the dentist, continuing to smoke in between appointments will undo all the work that took place at your last appointment.
The nicotine and tar tar found in cigarettes eat away your gums. Smoking also increases bacterial production and plaque in the mouth, making you more susceptible to gum disease and tooth decay.
If you’re a smoker, you may also be at a higher risk for tooth loss and oral cancer.
4. Use Proper Technique:It doesn’t matter how often you brush your teeth if you’re not doing it properly. Next time you brush, take a moment to stop and observe your technique. Are you holding the brush at a 45-degree angle?
Are you using short, circular motions with the head of the brush pointed towards your gum line?
Are you brushing each tooth between 10 and 15 times?
If the answer to any of those questions was no, it’s time to adjust your tooth brushing technique a bit. Those techniques have been proven to be the most effective when it comes to getting teeth clean.
You may also want to talk to your dentist or dental hygienist about proper brushing and flossing technique next time you’re at the office.
Brushing your teeth is one of the simplest, yet most effective ways to prevent cavities. Be sure to brush after meals and before bed.
5. Floss:The idea is that flossing lowers your risk of tooth decay and gum disease by preventing the build-up of plaque. Flossing helps you get places you can’t reach with a toothbrush clean, leading to healthier teeth and gums. Just like brushing, though, flossing will not be as effective if you’re not doing it properly.
Improper flossing can even lead to damaged gums if you’re not careful.
To truly clean between your teeth without causing damage, keep the following steps in mind.
• First, wrap about two inches of floss between your fingers and unroll a fresh section for each tooth.
• Keep the floss tight against the tooth to break up plaque without hurting your gums.
Also, be sure to floss behind the last molar in your mouth to ensure a thorough clean.
6. Don’t Over Do It: It can be tempting to aggressively brush your teeth to make sure you get them clean.
However, using too intense of a motion while brushing can make your teeth more porous and sensitive.
Also, overly vigorous brushing can lead to gum recession, which is irreversible.
• Be gentle, otherwise, your regular brushing will start to be a hindrance to your overall oral health.
7. Chew Gum: Keeping a pack of sugar-free gum around can freshen your breath and help get rid of excess food residue in between brushings.
Chewing sugar-free gum has been shown to increase the flow of saliva, thereby reducing plaque acid, strengthening the teeth and reducing tooth decay.
8. Clean Your Teeth While You Eat: You already know that sugar and soda can negatively affect your dental health, but did you know there are certain foods that can improve it?
Regularly eating “detergent” foods — firm and crisp foods like raw carrots, apples, celery, and popcorn — can help cut down on plaque. They’re not a substitute for brushing, of course, but if you can’t brush your teeth when you’re finished eating, ending your meal with one of these foods will help keep your oral health in check.
Does This Mean I Can Skip The Dentist Altogether?
Since you know how to better care for your teeth, does that mean you don’t have to visit the dentist anymore?
Sadly,No!
Professional cleanings from a dental hygienist will help you keep your oral hygiene in check and alert you to potential issues sooner.
Visit your dentist so early,tooth decay can be treated as soon as possible and the prevention of decay can begin. Tooth decay is much easier and cheaper to treat in its early stages.
What Happens If You Don’t Prioritize Dental Hygiene?
Oral health is about so much more than just the health of the mouth, teeth, and gums. Because the mouth is a primary entryway into the body, poor oral health can have negative consequences for the entire body.
Teeth that ache, gums that bleed, and breath that smells bad are all indicators of poor oral health. Bacteria from the mouth can easily get into the bloodstream and cause infection and inflammation wherever it spreads.
It is important to practice good oral hygiene and to see your dentist regularly in order to avoid serious risk to the body’s overall health.
In addition to putting yourself at risk for cavities, gum disease, and tooth loss, poor oral care can also negatively affect your overall health.
It is important to practice good oral hygiene and to see your dentist regularly in order to avoid serious risk to the body’s overall health.
Here are some common and serious health problems caused by bad oral health:
Your risk of experiencing cardiovascular disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, respiratory infections, and diabetic complications all increase when you don’t take good care of your teeth and gums.
If you’re looking to keep your teeth extra clean in between dentist visits, keep the above tips in mind.
Healthy teeth are clean and free of pain caused by cavities and disease. Healthy gums are pink and do not bleed when brushed or flossed.
Oral health is an indicator of overall health. Taking care to prevent oral health problems like gingivitis and periodontal disease can go a long way toward decreasing the risk for more serious health problems throughout the body.
So,don’t forget to stay up-to-date with your cleanings, as it is advised for adults to visit the dentist twice a year.
You can schedule your dental cleaning at panaceedental.com