When you take good care of your oral hygiene you are making a smart decision that impacts your overall health. Not only does excellent dental hygiene help prevent gum disease and tooth decay, it can also help you keep your teeth as you age. There are studies that show that maintaining good oral hygiene can also prevent bad breath. All of these reasons should be enough to convince you to keep up regular dental visits. But if that isn’t enough to convince you that brushing and flossing are important, it is now being suggested that oral health is pertinent to your overall health and well being. So, an unhealthy mouth may increase your risk of having serious health issues like stroke, diabetes, and heart attack. Since the overall case for good dental health is a strong one, hopefully it will convince you to keep up on your brushing, flossing, frequent dentist visits. If you are uncertain where to begin, read our list of five tips to a healthier smile. If anything, having a bright, healthy smile should be enough motivation to keep up with oral health.
Brush Twice Times Daily and Floss Once a Day
The American Dental Association recommends that the average person should be brushing their teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush for two minutes daily. First, tilt your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle. You want to move your toothbrush back and forth in short, gentle strokes. Brush the inner, outer and chewing surfaces of your teeth. For a better clean to the inside surface of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and move in an up and down stroke several times. It is also recommended that you floss once a day, in between your teeth to help control plaque. This is probably the most important way to keep a healthy smile, because it will make you less likely to develop cavities and gum disease.
Continue Your Regular Dentist Visits
It is recommended by most dentists to have routine oral health exams every six months. During a regular dental visit, your dentist will do a regular check up and examine your mouth, tongue, throat, and neck for oral cancer. The regular check involves a teeth cleaning and x rays if a cavity is suspected. Before the teeth cleaning, the dentist will also observe your teeth for plaque and tartar. If you have plaque, which is a thin, sticky layer of bacteria on your teeth, the dentist will remove that before the cleaning. Your gums will also be checked for health by using a special tool that checks the spaces between the gums and teeth. People with healthy gums have shallow spaces, but people with gum disease will have deeper spaces. Regular dentist visits go a long way in maintaining excellent oral health.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
It has been suggested that eating a diet with nutrient-rich food can go a long way in helping you maintain a healthy smile. Consider a balanced diet of protein, whole grains, vegetables, and fruit. A healthy diet helps with your smile and contributes to your overall health. This means cutting back on sugary foods. Sugar can ruin the enamel of your teeth and can make them vulnerable to decay. If you do indulge in a sugary sweet, be sure to brush your teeth afterward. And, in between your twice daily brushings, rinse your mouth with water after meals and snacks to remove excess sugar or food particles.
Stop Using Tobacco Products
First, smoking is not good for your overall health and wellness. But, the nicotine and tar in cigarettes erode your gums and yellow your teeth. Smoking harms your gums, and supports bone loss. Smoking can lead to tooth loss and causes bad breath and oral cancers.
Purchase a Quality Toothbrush and Replace it Every Three Months
Dentists recommend a soft bristle toothbrush, but you can also invest in a high quality electric toothbrush. You want your toothbrush to stimulate and clean the gums, while also removing plaque. Brush for two minutes, but gently so you don’t damage your gums. Rinse your non electric toothbrush with hot water to kill any germs lingering behind. And, make sure to replace your bristled toothbrush every three months.