Oral hygiene is integral to your well-being, yet very few people care for it. While skipping brushing your teeth for a few nights may seem harmless, you’re paving a path to much bigger problems. Your mouth is the ideal breeding ground for bacterial growth. If you don’t scrub and clean the build-up, it may lead to infections, cavities, and problems in your mouth.
According to data collected by various dentists operating throughout the US, more than 80% of adults have at least one cavity in their mouth by 34. Therefore, if you were negligent previously, you should stop now.
Caring for your mouth and teeth ensures that your orifice remains healthy and fresh for a long time. Here are some ways you should look into to look after your oral hygiene well:
1. Visit a dentist
Dentists can help care for your oral hygiene and teeth in several ways, so if you want to learn the best way to look after your teeth, listen to your dentist and Hawkeye Group for more information about your health. The US is home to over 200,000 active dentists; more than 31,000 are operating in California, making it the leading state in dental care. Therefore, if you’re living on the west coast around Southern California and are eager to find a reputable dentist for your teeth, you’re in the ideal location. Hidden Valley in Escondido and the Santa Monica Mountains area has a fair share of dental experts.
Whether you want a general consultation or to get your teeth fixed, a quick search will connect you to the best Hidden Valley Orthodontics and refer you to experts who can remedy your case. Generally, dentists look after your teeth by cleaning them, ensuring there are no bacteria in your teeth through X-rays, and clearing off cavities.
Orthodontists, on the other hand, are specialized dentists who can treat misaligned teeth and jaws, which cause crowding in your mouth, encouraging bacteria to thrive. Both experts render their services in checking the condition of your teeth, closing off cavities, and using tools like braces to push them into place. You should try to see your dentist after every six months unless advised otherwise. After a few sessions, you’ll notice a noticeable difference in oral health.
2. Improve your diet
Food has a profound impact on your teeth. What you eat will influence the condition of your overall oral health. If you’re used to eating sugary meals and consuming copious amounts of carbonated drinks, you’re damaging your enamel, which makes your tooth prone to tooth decay. Similarly, if you consume acidic foods like citrus fruits, you reduce the pH of your mouth, which attacks the enamel and invites tooth decay. Starchy meals cling to your teeth and cause plaque build-up.
For this reason, you need to adopt better dietary habits to ensure your mouth and teeth stay in good shape. Go for foods that stimulate saliva production, such as cheese and dairy. Saliva removes the bacteria lingering in your mouth and maintains the pH. If your mouth gets dry, increase your fluid intake. The same applies to crunchy vegetables like broccoli; they stimulate saliva production and give your body nutrients. When no food particles are stuck in your mouth, the chances of your teeth rotting or bad breath developing go down.
3. Brush regularly
You need to become frequent with brushing your teeth. Most oral diseases can be avoided by simply brushing your teeth twice daily. After every meal, food particles sneak into the crevices of your mouth and stay there. This, in turn, leads to bacteria thriving comfortably, plaque build-up, and a sticky film covering your teeth. Every time you skip brushing your teeth, you make matters worse.
Eventually, there will come a point when this sticky film starts turning into calcium deposits called tartar. Not only is this unpleasant to look at, but it can also cause your gums to recede and bleed. This is dangerous since the bacteria can enter your bloodstream and cause infections. To prevent this, invest in a good toothbrush – preferably an electrical one – and use it twice a day.
Brushing is a methodological process; you must use a circular motion to remove most of the plaque and run a straight line over your molars. If you have braces invest in an electric toothbrush with attachments that are meant to be under the wire. Braces also trap food and bacteria, so you use separate tools that can clean properly.
4. Become an avid flosser
Flossing and brushing go together. The two complement each other well. For any food substance or build-up your brush can’t clean, flossing will take care of it for you. A brush’s bristles are thick. It can’t squeeze through the tiny gaps between your teeth, which means anything trapped there will remain stuck.
Flossing consists of a specialized thread you insert between your teeth to remove the residue. This also takes care of your problem with plaque and reduces the chance of you getting tooth decay. You can also try getting water picks; these are much more effective than a string of regular floss. The pressure and water can clear off any sticky fluid and reduce the chances of it building up.
5. Stop smoking
Smoking is terrible for your health in numerous ways. While it stains your teeth and nails – which is hard to remove, it is also detrimental to your mouth. The smoke can burn tissue and injure the soft lining inside your cheeks.
Prolonged exposure to chemicals and smoke may cause mouth ulcers. These are extremely painful and can make it hard for you to eat and drink. If you continue abusing cigarettes, you also increase the probability of developing mouth cancer. Once you hit this stage, you’ll need extensive surgery to clear the cells and reconstruct the damage caused to your mouth.
6. Do At-Home Teeth Whitening Procedure
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Conclusion
You need to become vigilant about looking after your teeth and mouth. Continuous neglect will only lead to a series of conditions that are painful to deal with. So do yourself a favor and become better about maintaining your hygiene. Well-cared-for teeth and mouth are also immensely pleasing to look at. You may feel more confident and self-assured while flashing them, which does wonders for your self-esteem.
If you don’t have a dentist yet, you can check out this one who does veneers, dentures, and dental crowns in Chandler.