Dental Hygiene Tips

It is important to maintain proper dental hygiene and just bruising your teeth every morning and night won’t guarantee it. You need to have all your bases covered, because even regular oral hygiene can leave a lot of gaps if you aren’t careful. By using the right tools and techniques you can do the best. As such here are some dental hygiene tips for you to follow.

Brush regularly

Everyone is aware that you’re supposed to brush your teeth twice a day. This is important to remove plaque and bacteria that builds up in your teeth and keep it clean. However, this only works when you are brushing properly using the right technique. You are supposed to brush in small circular motions taking the brush to the front, back and top or every tooth. Do this for at least 2 to 3 minutes. You should avoid any back and forth motions. Avoid brushing too hard or using a hard bristled toothbrush as well as it can damage your enamel and gums. Doing this would cause tooth sensitivity or even permanent damage.

Pick the Right Brush

This is an important part of oral health as well. You have to choose the right brush for your teeth. Look for a brush whose bristles are small enough to reach between your teeth. This way you can get any food debris that is stuck in there. Most adults require a small or medium sized toothbrush according to the International Dental Health Association.

Spend Enough Time Brushing

Many people tend to just brush fast thinking it will have the same effect. It is important to know that you have to take your time and slowly brush for a while. Brushing fast doesn’t mean you are getting the job done. Not brushing for long enough would leave tartar on your tooth surface as it wouldn’t come off. This would eventually lead to plaque forming on your teeth as well as gum inflammation, bad breath and even cavities. Brushing fast is just like going over the teeth. You mostly miss a lot of them in doing so. Using a sonic toothbrush with a built in timer is suggested by many people.

Use fluoride

Fluoride is a very common and important ingredient in both toothbrushes and mouthwash. Many experts believe that using fluoride helps in preventing cavities from being formed. However not all dental products contain it and many people don’t use it at all. It has been found that the lack of fluoride in people can lead to tooth decay even if a person takes care of their teeth properly. This is why many communities in the United States added fluoride in their water to help the people. This is a recommended practice by the World Health Organization and a few others.

Floss once a day

Many people avoid flossing their teeth but this is one of the important factors as well. It is because flossing can be used to remove plaque and bacteria that forms between the teeth. Normally a toothbrush can’t reach everywhere in which cases floss is used. Though there are no recorded benefits there are many experts who recommend it. The ADA as well recommend you floss all the way down to your gum line.

Use a Tongue Scraper

Many toothbrushes have a tongue scraper on the back of it. It is important not only to brush your teeth but to also scrape your tongue afterwards. This is because bacteria can remain on the tongue after you are done brushing. Doing this will clean your tongue as well as help you have better breath. So add tongue scraping to your daily routine from now on.

See a dentist regularly

Going to your dentist only when you have a problem is not the right way to do it. Many experts as well recommend going to the dentist every 6 months just for a regular check up. This way you can keep your teeth clean and find any problems beforehand. Though if you practice good dental hygiene you need not go to the dentist as much. Your Teeth Cleaning Dentist will check for any problems you have during your dental check ups and offer you solutions.

Consider a mouthwash

Mouthwash can benefit oral health in many ways as well. Using mouthwashes that contain antibacterial agents can help control the plaque build up in your teeth and protect you from many other things as well. Which is why it is also very important that you use mouthwash.

Limit sugary foods

It is very common knowledge that having a lot of sugar can lead to cavities. Studies have shown that sugar plays a role in the overall outcome of your dental health. Many things you eat may have sugar. Even daily products you buy contain sugar. The WHO recommends people should limit their intake sugar to below 10% of their daily calories intake. However reducing this a bit more to 5% would be even more beneficial to your dental health care. A lot of drinks around the world have a ton of sugar present in them. It is a known fact that water is good for your health. This is why many experts recommend changing up your drinks with a glass of water as it is helpful to your normal health as well as your dental health.

Consume Calcium

You need plenty of calcium for your teeth. It is essential for the teeth as well as your bones. It is better to drink milk, fortified orange juice and to eat yogurt, broccoli, cheese, and other dairy products. You can also take a calcium supplement, taking different doses according to your age and necessity as per prescription. Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary for maintaining the health of gums and teeth. Vitamin B complex is also essential for the protection of gums and teeth from cracking and bleeding. Copper, zinc, iodine, iron and potassium are also required for maintaining healthy dental hygiene.