Finding the best daily regimen for healthy dental health can be confusing to most, which is why we’ve created a list of important aspects to a mouth full of healthy teeth.
Keeping our teeth healthy can sometimes be a challenge, not only because going to the dentist may not be on our main agenda, but because there are so many different ways to maintain our teeth at home, that it’s tempting to just pick up a toothbrush and call it done. There is much more to maintaining a mouth full of healthy teeth, though, so today we will be covering what you should do daily so that you may maintain your teeth at home; plus, our recommendations in regards to dentist visits. Let’s learn more about this now.
Maintaining Healthy Teeth Tips
Brush Daily
Our first line of defense in terms of dental health is the tried and true toothbrush. The toothbrush has been around for hundreds of years, and with reason. This tool enables us to remove almost all plaque and food build-up, along with the removal of some bacteria and other substances. While toothbrushes really do work well, they do not remove all substances and bacteria, therefore it should not be the only tool you have in your daily regimen.
Fluoride
Fluoride works by giving the enamel a higher concentration of this substance, enabling the enamel to grow back faster and stronger. This helps with sensitivity, as well as assist in the remineralization process, all of which lead to teeth that are not only healthier and better looking, but less sensitive too. Fluoride is typically given to you by a dentist, so next time you have a visit, ask your dentist if fluoride would be right for you. You can also take advantage of fluoride by purchasing a toothpaste with this mineral.
Flossing
Flossing is also an important aspect to dental health, as flossing removes any stuck foods and plaque buildup in between the teeth, that would otherwise cause tooth decay if not removed. Implementing this into your daily regimen will without a doubt help prevent inevitable cavities. Flossing helps you remove stick food that cannot be reached by a toothbrush, and also enable mouthwash to work more efficiently.
Mouthwash
Mouthwash is often overlooked as most individuals may just simply wash their mouth out with water, but Mouthwash is important for a very different reason than simply removing the used toothpaste from the mouth. Mouthwash often contains safe substances used to kill bacteria and plaque, among other things. This often kills just as many germs at a toothbrush/toothpaste combo does, if not way more.
Avoiding Sugar/Acids
Anything that includes sugars and acids such as a type of candy or a soda can absolutely wreak havoc on your teeth, especially if it is consumed regularly. The most obvious solution to this is to consume less of these additives, but if you wish to continue consuming them, make sure to follow these steps within the article and always brush after 45 minutes but within 2 hours to reduce damage done by these substances.
Dentist Visits
The usual recommendation is to take a visit to a dentist near you at least once per year. This will ensure that you know of any hidden problems you may have, or ones that may arise soon. This also gives you the chance to have a personalized dental care regimen given to you by your dentist, which will take your dental health and other facts into consideration. The regimen listed here is fantastic in a general sense, but a personalized regimen from a dentist is always superior in most cases.
Avoid Tobacco
Tobacco products cause major damage to not only the teeth, but the gums, tongue, and everything in between. First of all, both cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco cause the teeth to develop a yellow stain. This will be followed by poor circulation, due to the nicotine constricting the blood vessels inside the mouth and gums. You will likely also develop a hairy tongue caused by the inhalation of smoke, which will largely affect your taste.
Avoid Eating Ice
This is a very common practice among millions of people, typically consumed due to boredom or stress. While this may be a preferred time passer, you put yourself into a high risk of chipping a tooth or even spraining them, which is caused by too much pressure in a single area, which causes the ligaments within the root to stretch and become inflamed, leading to excruciating pain for up to multiple weeks.