Health and Fitness

4 Tips for Keeping Your Dental Hygiene On Point

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We all want to look our best, but it’s easy to let one aspect of our appearance slip. Usually, the first thing on our minds is fashion; for some, the last concern is dental hygiene.

However, it makes a big difference. You could be walking around with bad breath and turning off future relationships without the proper dental care.You could ask around and see if you’re right, or you could be even more proactive and focus on these four dental hygiene tips.

1. Proper Brushing

We all know how important it is to brush our teeth, but that doesn’t mean we all do it correctly. You might think it’s ok to skip a night or two once a week if no one’s around, but this is how plaque builds up and leads to decay.

Although, it’s not just enough to brush twice a day. Proper technique is necessary too. The recommended method is to place your brush against your teeth at the gum line at a 45-degree angle, making small circular movements across all of your teeth, inside and out.

Also, don’t forget to brush your tongue. This is an often overlooked aspect that leads to bad breath.

2. Cleaning Between Your Teeth

Cleaning between your teeth is also important to remove all the plaque that gathers between them. Make sure you have these tools in your bathroom. These help to get between your teeth and under the gum line to achieve a more efficient clean:

  • Dental floss
  • Interdental brushes
  • Oral irrigators

We all know what dental floss is. But what about interdental brushes and oral irrigators?

Interdental brushes are tiny brushes that are similar to toothpicks. You hold them between your thumb and forefingers, gently pushing the brush between your teeth. It’s important not to force the brush. Doing so could lead to some accidental harm. If the head simply doesn’t fit, then consider a smaller brush.

Oral Irrigators are alternatives to interdental brushes if you have braces, back wires, or fixed bridges. An oral irrigator uses a jet of water to clean away the plaque and everything else between your teeth.

3. Diet

Diets that consist of frequent sugar consumption can cause trouble when it comes to your dental care. It can take up to an hour for the acids from sugars within your mouth to be neutralized, and it’s within this time that the damage happens to your teeth. If you continue to eat or drink items high in sugar, your mouth will be unable to neutralize these acids, and the damage will begin to set in.

Consider finding sugar-free alternatives. These will help curb your snacking tendencies while giving your mouth the time needed to repair your teeth.

4. A Regular Check-Up

Preventing a problem is always better than having to fix one. A regular check-up with your dentist can tell you what you need to focus on and how best to prevent future problems.

If you haven’t been to a dental practice in a while, consider making an appointment for a free consultation. You don’t have to commit to paying anything, and you get updated information on any problems you might have.

Bottom Line

Your dental health is important, and maintaining it is one of the best things you can do for your body. Once you begin to focus on problem areas and work on a routine to fix them, it will become second-nature.

If you begin to notice any problems or experience pain, seek medical advice as soon as you can. Take care, and smile wide once you’re following these four tips!