Good oral hygiene is important for good general health. We learn more and more every day about the negative affects poor dental care can have on every aspect of overall health and well being. For this reason, it is very important that you not only visit your dentist regularly, but also learn to take excellent care of your own teeth. In this article, we will discuss some good oral hygiene practices.
Use a mouthwash that doesn’t contain alcohol. Not only do these formulas spare you the burning sensation, but they are also ideal for treating bad breath. Alcoholic mouthwashes give you nice breath, but can be drying. Dry mouth is responsible for bad breath in many cases.
Strengthen your existing enamel with the foods that you eat. Certain vitamins and the mineral calcium, in particular, all help out with this. Foods that are good to accomplish this with include nuts, meats and dairy choices. Avoid sugary foods, soft drinks and sweetened teas, as these will do immediate damage to your enamel.
When you go to floss, you should pull out a lot more than you probably think is necessary. You should be able to get your whole mouth clean with around 20 inches. Once you have it cut free, then secure each end to a finger on each hand. Approximately an inch of floss should be available to clean your first tooth.
There are many different elements that can end up staining your teeth. Coffee, red wine and cigarettes are some of the most common culprits. If you just can not avoid these things, you can drink your coffee and wine through a straw so that it does not hit your teeth. It is also helpful to brush your teeth right after smoking.
It can be quite uncomfortable to be intimately engaged in a conversation with someone who has horrible breath. Maybe it is something they ate, or just plain old bad dental care habits. Whatever the case may be, a good way to help yourself out of this situation is to carry around gum or mints. Have one yourself and offer them one at the same time. This makes a polite gesture a successful covert operation.
Don’t forget to floss. A lot of people don’t take the time to floss twice a day, but it really helps. You cannot reach all of the food and bacteria with your toothbrush. Flossing can help you to get in between all of your teeth, which means that you will have less cavities.
Make a dentist appointment every six months, at minimum. This will prevent small problems from getting bigger. For example, a small cavity can be caught and painted over instead of getting a filling.
When you visit the dentist every 6 months, you’ll find that your dental health is always in check. Your breath will be fresh and clean, your teeth will stay white and gleaming, and your gums won’t bleed when you brush. When you care about your oral health, you’ll be repaid in spades.
To keep your teeth as clean as possible, pay attention to the way you brush. Many people only brush from side to side, which does not help remove debris from the gums. Instead, use circular motions and hold your brush at a 45-degree angle as you move along the gum line.
You need to find a dentist who specializes in your particular dental needs. If your dentist can’t, ask for a recommendation to someone else. If you don’t wish to be referred, then save yourself the worry and find someone who specializes in the area you need medical help with.
Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day. This will help prevent tooth decay. You should make sure to brush after you eat and before you go to bed. Use a toothpaste that has fluoride each time you brush your teeth for the best protection against tooth decay.
Don’t always start your brushing routine by starting to brush in the same place each time. Vary your routine and it will help ensure that you are not skipping the same places each time you brush. If you always use the same routine, you may brush too hard at first and not hard enough at the end.
Keep an eye on how clean your toothbrush is. Throw it out or change the head on an electric one about every two to three months. After using a brush a while, the brush will collect bacteria and food, and some will get stuck deep within the bristles. If you don’t change it out, you are just transferring all of that back onto your teeth.
Clearly, there is a great deal you can do to maintain your own excellent dental health. When you take the time to choose your dental hygiene products with care and use them properly it will go a long way toward helping you maintain your overall health. Remember to brush twice a day, floss daily and see your dentist at least once a year for great dental health.
