As a busy professional, you’re always on-the-go and, if you travel a lot, finding a proper bathroom to take time for your oral health and hygiene can be a challenge. And there’s always the odd day when you hit the road in such a hurry you didn’t get a chance to brush, leaving you with that special brand of workplace self-consciousness.
In this article, we will give you some oral hygiene life hacks that will improve your dental health while also keeping up with your busy schedule. This includes not just your traditional ideas of teeth-cleaning, but tricks and tips for your lifestyle as well.
Two-Minute Timed Brushing
Set aside four minutes in your day to brush your teeth. The Waterpik Sensonsic Professional Plus Toothbrush has a two-minute timer that times your tooth-brushing, allowing you to know when your two minutes is up.
That way, you’re not brushing your teeth aimlessly and can work it into your schedule knowing that the timing will be exact.
Bring Floss With You
Floss containers are small and discreet. Even if you don’t have time to brush your teeth after every meal, you definitely can make time to floss. Bringing along a small pack of floss and ducking into the bathroom after your lunch break will make a huge difference to your dental hygiene.
Change Your Snacking
Sugary foods give you a quick energy boost, but they also can do a lot of damage to your teeth. Sugar leads to plaque buildup on your teeth, and if you’re moving through the day without stopping to brush your teeth frequently, that plaque can lead to cavities or worse.
Changing your snacking from high-fructose foods to something that is sweet, but still natural, can be advantageous to your oral health. Put down the gummy bears and pick up some fresh raspberries instead; they are not only better for your teeth, they’re better for your overall health as well.
Drink Through Straws
One easy oral hygiene hack is to drink through a straw.
That minimizes the contact of soda, coffee, juice, and other potentially harmful and discoloring drinks to your teeth. Drinking through a straw is a great way to keep your teeth clean, and it costs next to nothing to do so.
Grab a straw on your way out of Starbucks or next time you’re in the break room. It really does help!
Chew Gum
Chewing gum helps stimulate saliva production, which in turn helps neutralize acids that could be lingering on your teeth after you eat. Saliva can also help prevent the buildup of bacteria in the mouth that can cause bad breath or oral diseases. Gum can also help dislodge food trapped between teeth, which can encourage the growth of bacteria and acidity.
Make sure that the gum you chew is sugarless and not filled with dyes and coloring, as that could do more harm than good and stain your teeth.
Preventive Care
If you know you’re going to be going on a long business trip and it’s been over half a year since you’ve had your last cleaning or check-up, it’s probably high time you scheduled a visit with a local dentist like Premier Smile Center in Fort Lauderdale. Preventive care will help make sure that you don’t have any problems that need to be taken care of before you leave, giving you peace of mind.
Try to meet with your local dentist regularly, as a rule, at least every two to four months. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Dry Out Your Toothbrush
If you’re packing to go, you might want to put your toothbrush into a container. This is understandable, as you don’t want your toothbrush to get dirty in your suitcase.
However, you also need to make sure that you allow your toothbrush to dry out after you use it. Otherwise, bacteria may build up on the bristles and cause problems. Allowing your toothbrush to dry before storing it away will improve oral hygiene.
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Hopefully, these on-the-go tips have helped you get some ideas as to how to maintain your oral health and hygiene while also keeping on top of a busy professional lifestyle. Expect teeth whitening results within at least two weeks. While it may seem like it takes time, it’s worth it to preserve your dazzling smile.
