In order to maintain a good smile, you need to make sure that you take care of your oral hygiene. As much as the basics might appear obvious, there are some people who won’t do it right. In most instances, taking care of the basics is enough to maintain a healthy smile. Here are some tips that could come in handy if you’re looking to provide long term care for your teeth.
Brush Properly
We’re not just talking about the teeth but also the mouth. This is because the teeth are not the only thing in the mouth. You have the tongue, gums, and the roof of the mouth to think about when doing the brushing. The bristles should be placed at a 45-degrees angle near the gum line. Use a back and forth, and up and down movement while brushing. The surface of the tongue will also need to be brushed. Most people will brush twice a day but will forget about flossing which is equally as important. You can check out this WaterFlosserGuide for more information on flossing and products.
Floss Regularly
Apart from brushing, you need to know how to floss. Ideally, you should be flossing once a day. Flossing comes highly recommended as it helps clean the spaces between the teeth where the brush can’t reach. Flossing helps to get rid of detrimental substances and food particles in the mouth. If you care about oral hygiene, you should seriously consider getting in the habit of flossing at least once a day.
Tooth-friendly Diet
For the majority of people, we all want to eat food that tastes good but this is not always good for the teeth. Eating a balanced diet is not only good for your health but is also good for your teeth as well. You should be looking for vegetables, nuts, and cheese as they’re tooth-friendly.
Limit Intake of Soda and Alcohol
If you smoke, you should seriously consider quitting smoking as it can lead to serious complications with your oral hygiene. Beverages with a lot of sugar will increase the acidity levels in the mouth. Too much of something is bad and this saying is particularly true for oral hygiene. You can cut the intake of red of wine as it could stain your teeth.
Don’t Skip Dental Appointments
Most dental problems can be treated when they’re detected early. That is why it is important that you’re not skipping the scheduled appointment. Some people will skip visiting the dentist because they dread the procedures and are afraid there could be a treatment that they hadn’t anticipated. You should also not wait for the next dental appointment if you feel there is a problem that the dentist should check out.
Use Fluoride
Experts recommend leaving a little fluoride in your mouth before you go to sleep. This will be after you’ve brushed your teeth for the second time in the day. Leaving toothpaste in your mouth during the day might be uncomfortable and that is why it is recommended that you do it during the night. Fluoride usually sits on the surface of the teeth. Make sure you’re brushing your teeth first before you leave the residues of fluoride in your mouth.
Looking for a Reliable Dentist
The dentist you choose will go a long way in ensuring you’re getting the best dental treatment. That is why it is crucial that you’re doing your due diligence because you don’t want to be working with the dentist that you come across. Ideally, the dentist should be from your area as you don’t want to be traveling a long distance in case of a dental emergency. The dentist should also have the necessary experience needed for the job. You might be in need of a cosmetic procedure or a complicated treatment and you don’t want to work with someone that you’re not used to.
A good dentist will ensure that you’re comfortable during the treatment and the checkups so that you’re not dreading the appointments.
To sum it up, good oral hygiene and health will begin with you. You need to have a daily routine in place which will ensure that the basics are taken care of. Make sure to teach your children to brush and floss the right way. In addition to that, make sure that you’re not skipping the scheduled appointments. This will ensure that the potential problems are being kept at bay. Your dentist will know what to do in case of a dental emergency after the checkup.