Taking care of your teeth, and achieving good oral health, goes beyond simply brushing your teeth in the morning and at night. There are choices you can make throughout the day to help increase your oral health, and protect against oral problems that occur without the proper care.
Cut Back on Soda
Yes, it’s delicious, but it’s also bad for your teeth. You might think that it’s unhealthy because of all the sugar, but you’d only be partially right. The acid that gives soda its fizz actually eats your teeth’s surface. Tooth enamel is very strong, but drinking too many sodas a day can weaken your teeth and put you at risk for cavities and dental decay.
Limit Your Sugar
Dessert, the best part of the meal, is also dangerous for your teeth. If you don’t want to suffer from dental decay, you should really try to limit the number of sweets you indulge in on a daily basis. It’s also helpful to get in a habit of brushing between each sugary snack you eat. If you subject your teeth to too much sugar, you’ll flood your mouth with plaque and bacteria that won’t just eat away at your teeth, but your gums as well.
Use The Correct Toothbrush
Finally, something that doesn’t take require you to cut back on delicious food. Soft bristles are best for your teeth, so make sure you get a toothbrush that isn’t scrubbing your teeth more than you actually need. You should also replace your toothbrush every three months. If your bristles are bent, you’ve had your brush too long, or you’re simply brushing too hard. You might think that the harder you brush the better, but it’s not. Aggressive brushing can damage your teeth and cause your gum line to erode. Don’t do more harm than good. Brush gently, in soft circles.
Go to the Dentist
This one is obvious, but people still try to get out of it. Just because your teeth look healthy doesn’t mean you should skip a trip to the dentist. Catching problems that you can easily miss just by glancing in the mirror is important to your oral health. Dentists can help you catch gum disease, cavities, and other oral problems early. This will make treating them much easier and less expensive.
It’s not fun, but it really does help to keep your teeth and gums healthy. It reaches areas between your teeth that, no matter how skilled at brushing you are, you’ll never reach with a toothbrush. Don’t settle for brushing, and don’t substitute mouthwash for floss, because floss really is the only way to get deep within your teeth and effectively clean out particles hidden within.
Don’t Neglect Your Tongue
Not only is brushing your tongue a good way to prevent bad breath, but it also removes bacteria that you would otherwise miss. If you don’t brush your tongue daily, the bacteria that lives on it will continue to grow and lead to dental health issues. So, do yourself a favor the next time you’re brushing your teeth, and brush your tongue as well.
Your teeth are a vital part of your day-to-day life. You should do your best to take care of them. Yes, oral care isn’t always fun, but it’s always worth it. You only get one set of adult teeth. Take care of them.
At Hinsdale Dental, we provide excellent service and genuinely care about your oral health. To schedule an appointment, please contact us, today. We look forward to helping you keep your teeth healthy, and your smile beautiful, for years to come.Return to Blog