Oral Health Habits to Adopt Now to Preserve Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth daily is just one of the ways you can preserve your smile. There are other important dental habits you should begin incorporating into your regular routine.
Here are oral health habits you should adopt now to preserve your teeth and gums. Your dentist will assist you in keeping your dental health in check.
Brush Your Gums
Many American adults suffer from some type of gum disease. Gum disease is identified by swelling and discoloration of the gums, pain, bleeding when brushing, and foul breath.
Brushing your gums in a gentle circular motion while brushing your teeth is essential to protecting your gums and teeth against decay. Pay special attention to your gumline when brushing, using a soft-bristled brush to avoid irritating the tender skin.
Brush Your Tongue
It’s just as important to brush your tongue as it is to brush your teeth. Starting at the back of your tongue, gently brush downwards to remove stains and bacteria.
You should also brush the insides of your cheeks. This extra effort to take care of your oral health not only keeps bacteria and cavity-causing germs at bay, but it also gives you fresher breath and a more thorough clean as well.
Floss Correctly
First of all, you should floss your teeth once a day. Any time of day will do, but many people choose to floss while they are brushing their teeth.
To floss, take a length of flossing string in your fingers and gently maneuver the floss just under each tooth to the gumline to remove plaque and stubborn food particles. Use a new flossing string every few teeth if the floss begins to fray.
Use new floss each time you floss your teeth to prevent transferring bacteria back into your mouth. Your dentist will give you pointers on using flossing picks and other flossing tools if you prefer not to use loose string.
Don’t Brush After Eating
Brushing right after eating is not effective in removing plaque and bacteria. Rather, wait 30 minutes to brush your teeth following a meal.
You should, however, rinse your mouth with water or a mouthwash after you eat to remove food particles and to begin the cleansing process. Mouthwash should be antibacterial in design. If you use a whitening mouthwash containing hydrogen peroxide, you may experience hairy tongue as a side effect, but this is a harmless annoyance in most cases.
Store Your Toothbrush
Whether you prefer a manual or electric toothbrush, storage is key to healthy teeth cleaning. Always rinse your toothbrush in cool water to remove residue after brushing and leave it standing upright to air dry.
Using a toothbrush cover may do more harm than good; a cover keeps your toothbrush from drying properly, which can reduce its ability to get rid of microorganisms. Never share toothbrushes with other people.
Toss Your Toothbrush Regularly
When the bristles on your toothbrush begin to fray, it’s time to replace the unit with a new one. On average, toothbrushes are useful for about three or four months.
As you can see, the oral health habits mentioned are not hard to accomplish and don’t take a lot of time to do. Your dentist will give you further oral health advice during your routine checkups and cleanings for customized care.
Using healthy teeth cleaning today can preserve your teeth and gums for the future. Remember, brushing and flossing your teeth daily does not eliminate the need for regular dental visits, even if your teeth appear to be just fine.
Call our dental team at Crest Hill Family Dental. Our goal is to assist you in optimum oral health.
