Dental Hygiene: Top Ways to Take Care of Oral Health

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  • By
  • October 31, 2020

    • Poor dental hygiene can lead to many oral health problems. These can range from tooth decay, gum problems to tooth loss, and many others. Luckily, there are several ways to take care of your mouth and teeth, including:

     

    1. Brush Your Teeth Properly. Start by choosing the right type of toothbrush. Most oral healthcare professionals recommend a soft-bristled brush to remove plaque and food debris from your teeth safely. A small-headed toothbrush is also advisable as it can better reach the crevices of your molars. Proper brushing only takes a couple of minutes. The recommended technique involves short, gentle strokes to the outer and inner surfaces of your upper and lower teeth. You also have to clean the chewing surfaces and pay extra attention to your gum line and hard-to-reach places like the molars. Brush your tongue as well as the roof of your mouth for fresher breath. For best results, brush your teeth at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste.

     

    1. Floss In Between Your Teeth Daily. Brushing is essential to clean the surfaces of your teeth. But it cannot do the same for the tight spaces in between them. The American Dental Association emphasizes that interdental cleaners like floss are vital in taking care of your oral health. Cleaning between your teeth eliminates plaque and other food residues that can lead to tooth cavities or gum disease.

     

    1. Choose a Teeth-Friendly Diet. One effective way to promote healthy teeth and gums is by eating a balanced diet from all food groups. Foods for optimum oral health include those that are rich in calcium, phosphorus, and ascorbic acid. As you may already know, sugar has a direct link to tooth decay and other serious illnesses. So, limit its consumption to 10 percent or less than your total food intake. Avoid dark-colored beverages like coffee, tea, and soda as they can stain your teeth and weaken your enamel.

     

    1. Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol Intake. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use can increase your risk of developing gum disease. Whether it’s in a cigarette, pipe, or smokeless form, smoking can weaken your body’s immune system. This makes it difficult to fight against a gum infection. If you develop one, smoking tobacco makes it even harder for your gums to heal. While moderate drinking of alcohol may be an element of a healthy lifestyle, remember that too much of everything can be harmful. Heavy drinking can lead to mouth sores, tooth decay, and gum disease. Alcohol abuse has also been found to be one of the top risk factors for oral cancer.

     

    1. Schedule a Dental Visit Regularly. Seeing a dentist twice a year generally works for many people. But some may require more frequent dental checkups depending on their medical conditions, lifestyle, and oral hygiene. People who are more at risk of dental disease have to schedule dental visits every three months or as often as needed.

     

    The mouth is the index of your body’s well-being. Visit the Courthouse Art of Dentistry in Arlington, Virginia, today to learn more about how you can keep your teeth and gums healthy.