Have a dental check-up soon and don’t want to leave your dentist shaking his head? You’ll need to make a few tooth care changes to ensure that your smile is at its best when you walk through the door.
There is simply more to healthy teeth than just brushing. You need to floss, have a tooth friendly diet, and even get a little more time in the sun. It’s the little things that matter in this case, and if you aren’t doing them, you might be left frustrated with your dentist’s lecture.
Here are seven tips to a healthy smile that will save you that aggravation and please even the strictest dentist.
1. Brush Your Entire Mouth
There are more germs trapped in your mouth, besides the ones on your teeth. You need to cover your entire mouth.
Gently brush your gums, the roof of your mouth, and tongue with your brush to sweep away any bad breath bacteria. The reason why you don’t want to go too hard with the brushing is that it will do more harm than anything. Do this entire process twice a day for the best results.
2. Watch What You Eat
Watching what you eat can have a huge impact on healthy teeth. Many foods are very acidic and erode the enamel on your teeth. These are the ones that you need to limit.
Foods That are Good
Crunchy fruits and veggies contain fibre that not only is essential to your teeth but your body in general.
While processed foods are convenient and quick to make, they aren’t the best for your teeth. Believe it or not, cheese is a great food for oral health. It causes your mouth to produce more saliva.
Limit Sodas and Alcohol
With sugar comes acid and acid erodes the enamel of your teeth. Drinks like sodas, alcohol, and coffee can cause cavities.
They do have phosphorus which is good for you in moderation. You just need to be a little mindful of how many you have and how often.
Hydrate with Water
Instead of going with the sugary drinks, go for a bottle of water. It’s better for your body and for your teeth.
Water can also wash away food stuck in your teeth or acidic foods that you’ve had throughout the day. It will have your back in between brushes.
3. Flossing is Just as Important as Brushing
Flossing at least once a day can stimulate your gums, reduce plaque, and lower inflammation. If you just brush twice a day you might not get trapped food particles out.
Brushing and flossing need to be able to work as a team to protect your mouth. You need a healthy balance of both.
4. Leave Fluoride in Your Mouth Over Night
Leaving fluoride on your mouth during the day can be uncomfortable and it will be bad if you accidentally swallow some of it so the best time to put this into practice is at night.
When you’re doing your last brush of the night, don’t rinse off the residue with water. Fluoride can strengthen your teeth so let it do its job and don’t rinse it down the drain.
5. Give Mouthwash a Try
Mouthwash can be a helpful tool to add on to flossing and brushing. It can reduce the acid in your mouth, get into hard to brush areas, and re-mineralize your teeth. It can also kill bad breath germs.
Mouthwash is a good option for children and elders to use as a follow behind. Their brushing skills may not be the best and this will help make sure they keep a healthy mouth.
Your Ealing dentist will be able to give you some good recommendations in that regard. Children have different mouthwash needs than adults and some adults have issues like sensitive teeth.
6. Get a Little Bit of Sun
Something as small as just soaking up a little more sun can do wonders for your teeth. You’ll be getting in healthy minerals like vitamin D and calcium. Two essential things for healthy bones and teeth.
Just going out in the sun might not get you quite the right amount of vitamin D and calcium. If you burn easily it can be a pain to stay out in the sun for too long as well. For these cases, a vitamin supplement could do the trick.
7. Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Just having a check-up every once in a while, won’t do. You need to commit to oral health by visiting your dentist regularly. The sad truth is, these tips won’t save you from really serious oral threats and you won’t be able to pinpoint these all by yourself.
The only one who can tell you if you have something to worry about in that regard is a professional. You should visit your dentist twice or more a year at the very least for cleaning and so they can check for cavities.
The Trick to Healthy Teeth
If you want healthy teeth you need to commit to it more so than just getting a check-up once a year and there is more to it than just brushing. You need to use floss, mouthwash, and brushing as a team to keep your whole mouth clean. Keep fluoride residue on your teeth and get plenty of vitamin D and Calcium to make them strong. A great smile starts with you.
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