7 Best Practices For Healthy Teeth

Many people always take their oral health for granted. Simply brushing your teeth a few times a day is not enough to keep your gums, teeth, tongue healthy, although it does help. More than just gum disease and tooth decay, oral disease can cover a whole host of other diseases that could wreak havoc on your overall health.

If not addressed immediately, it could lead to malnutrition, speech disorder, low self-esteem and many more. In order to mitigate the growth of bacteria in your oral cavity that could lead to oral diseases, necessary steps should be taken and done so regularly.

1. Brush Regularly

This is a pretty obvious tip that we have all heard about all our lives. Brushing your teeth several times a day especially after meals is one proven way to maintain the health of your teeth and gums. It limits the growth of harmful pathogens and keeps our breath smelling fresh and clean.

A good rule of thumb when brushing is to follow the three 3’s rule: brush 3 times a day, not more than 3 minutes after every meal, and for 3 minutes or longer. On days when you just have no time to brush your teeth after every meal, always make sure to at least brush them right before going to bed.

2. Fluoride is Crucial

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral on earth that is commonly associated with maintaining the health of our teeth. It is the active ingredient in most toothpaste and mouthwash and in some countries they are even added in public water supplies to help combat tooth decay in children and in adults.

Choose a toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride in them. After a good brushing or rinsing, try not to drink or eat anything for three to five minutes to ensure that the fluoride is absorbed into the teeth.

3. Floss

Most people who regularly brush their teeth forget about flossing. It is not just for removing food debris stuck in between your teeth. It can help stimulate the gums, it helps reduce plaque, and also help lower inflammation.

Flossing can reach areas that toothbrush is unable to reach. It can also help prevent bad breath. Floss at least once a day, using proper floss with an up and down motion on the side of the tooth.

best practices for healthy teeth

4. Regular Visits

Similar to our body, our oral health also needs regular checkup with the dentists. Professionals recommend a bi-annual visit to check for signs of gum disease, mouth ulcers, signs of cancer, and other oral health problems.

At this point, your dentist can also give you deep teeth and gums cleaning, something that flossing and brushing can’t do. Many recent studies have shown that people who regularly visit their dentists have a lower chance of acquiring serious oral health problems.

5. Drink Lots of Water

It might seem obvious but drinking water really does contribute to our overall oral health. It can help rinse away food debris, flush accumulated bacteria in the mouth neutralize the acidity in our oral cavity, and it can even mitigate bad breath. A glass of water every after meals is a common recommendation among professionals.

6. Limit Sugar and Acidic Food

Bacteria thrive when sugar is present. We’ve been told since we were young to avoid sugary snacks in fear of losing our teeth, and they were right. One major cause of tooth decay is a little too much sugar in our diet, especially when we fail to brush our teeth right after. Acidic food can also cause the enamel, the protective layer in our teeth to wear out and weaken.

7. Don’t Smoke, Ever

If there’s one thing that all dentists everywhere agree on, it’s that smoking is nothing but bad news to our oral health. It leads to innumerable gum and tooth issues including oral cancer. Those who undergo oral surgery will notice slow healing and it can also cause the discoloration of the teeth and tongue.

Our oral health is intimately tied to our overall health. Neglecting it can cause serious problems or exacerbate existing ones. It is only in our best interest to give it the proper attention it deserves.

ALSO: 5 DENTAL HEALTH TIPS ON HOW TO PROTECT YOUR TEETH FROM THE COLD
REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD GET DENTAL IMPLANTS

Author Bio: Sarah Brooks is a passionate blogger who adores to expound on health, beauty, food, travel and more. She enjoys sharing beauty and health care tips to stay healthier and happier. She is currently working for dentistdrpowell which is owned by one of the leading dentist in west Columbia Dr Sherry Powell.

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