Taking care of your teeth is an essential part of your everyday hygiene. Your last visit to the dentist left your gums bleeding and your wallet a little light. It is time to take charge of yourself and build an oral routine to be proud of. Furthermore, you will become an excellent role-model for your children.
As they say, prevention is the best medication, so the first step in your new resolution is to brush your teeth at least twice per day. Choosing an appropriate fluoride toothpaste, brush your teeth before you go to bed every night; and brush them again at least once during the day. Although there is no perfect way to brush your teeth, you want to manipulate the toothbrush carefully to not injure your gums. You also want to brush away from your gum to remove little particle. Whether you brush in upward/downward strokes or perform little circles, the important thing is to not go toward the gums.
Floss
Floss. Yes, that mint flavored string is annoying to slide up and down in the tiny spaces between your teeth, but done regularly, this helps prevent gum disease. You will also catch hiding food particles that could lead to tooth decay. Most dentists recommend flossing at least once per day. If you are not agile with wrapping dental floss between two fingers and reaching deep into your mouth, there are little plastic picks with a string of floss mounted on that allows you to reach difficult places more easily.
Oil Pulling
Some dentists encourage you to practice tongue scraping and oil pulling. They claim this helps getting rid of bacteria hidden on the tongue surface or in between the teeth. Whether you choose to include these greener practices or not is entirely up to you. One habit worth including is to rinse your mouth with either a flavored mouthwash found at the store or a simple saltwater concoction. Either way, the swishing action of the liquid in your mouth will help clean hard to reach places.
Diet
Some specialists also advise to develop good eating habits; that implies reducing the number of sugary foods in your diet. Chewing on fruits and vegetable is also a healthy way to clean the surface of your teeth. Be mindful that it does not replace a good brushing.
Of course, these steps would not be complete without regular visits to your general dentistry office. Your dentist will be able to monitor the progress of your teeth and help you prevent decay or cavities. Their work includes removing plaque from your teeth, giving them an amazing cleaning, and inspecting your mouth for signs or symptoms of illnesses. The dentist will probably want to take x-rays of your teeth for signs of cavities, decay or root issues. In some offices, they also suggest fluoride application to protect your teeth until your next visit.
Since you only have one set of teeth, taking good care of them should be an important part of your health considerations.
Additional Resource:
7 Common Oral Hygiene Mistakes and How To Avoid Them
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