Smiling, chewing, speaking – our teeth play a major role in our daily lives. But did you know dental health is directly related to your overall body health? Apart from this, discolored teeth, broken teeth, gum infection and other dental problems can affect a person’s self-confidence. This is why maintaining good dental hygiene is extremely important.
As your trusted dentists in Pelham, Alabama, we would like to share 5 useful tips that will help you take care of your smile.
1. Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
Brushing your teeth helps to remove food debris and prevents dental plaque from forming. Also, toothpaste fights against bad breath and gives a feeling of freshness. The main factors responsible for causing dental problems are food debris, dental plaque, and calculus. Plaque is a thin bio-film that sticks to the teeth and gums. It eventually forms tartar and leads to gum infections, dental cavities, and other oral diseases.
Optimally, you would clean your teeth after each time you eat, but at the minimum you should brush your teeth twice a day. Brushing one’s teeth may be a morning ritual for many of us. However, your mouth remains closed for a long period during the night, and micro-organisms can thrive in this environment if you don’t brush after dinner or before going to bed.
2. Floss Everyday
Flossing is equally important as brushing teeth and too often gets skipped in our busy lives. You can use a floss thread, water flosser or other interdental cleaning aid. We will advise the correct option for you during the check-up appointment. Our dental hygienist will also guide you with the right technique of using floss.
Floss removes the food remnants that are stuck between teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach. Food lodgment in between your teeth can cause cavities, gum swelling, and other oral problems. Brushing cannot effectively clean such tricky areas. Flossing is absolutely necessary to maintain great dental hygiene.
3. Get a Dental Check-Up Every Six Month
Regular dental check-ups and dental exams help to diagnose or identify dental problems at an early stage; the latter playing a crucial role in the prognosis of the disease. For example, dental cavities initially require a filling. Extensive cavities often mandate root canal treatment or extraction. It pays to stay up on your regular check-ups and dental hygiene.
4. Eat Healthy
Choose foods that are beneficial for your dental health. Practice maintaining a balanced diet so that your body receives vitamins and minerals in the correct amount. Nutritional deficiencies can result in malformed teeth and gum bleeding. Avoid sticky foods or those containing high amounts of sugars. Also, you should avoid consuming acidic drinks or citrus fruits in excess as it can wear off the tooth enamel.
5. Use The Right Tools For Cleaning
You should use a soft toothbrush if you have gum disease. Apart from this, proper dental hygiene for dental implant patients also requires special steps.
If you prefer manual toothbrushing, don’t forget to change your toothbrush once every three months. Also, don’t use excessive pressure or force while brushing as it can harm your teeth. Our dental hygienists can always help you in choosing the right device for you and will also show you the correct method of using it.
