Brushing your teeth twice daily and regular dental visits are necessary. But, oral health and hygiene goes beyond taking measures to avoid tooth decay, cavities, and bad breath. Poor oral hygiene can cause health issues to the general well-being of your body. The following are tips for taking care of your oral health.
1.Brush Regularly
This is not the first time you are hearing about the importance of brushing your teeth at least twice a day. Regular brushing helps in preventing bacteria and plaque buildup. In addition, brushing your teeth regularly helps in preventing bad breath.
If you are not able to brush as often use a good mouthwash such as oxy pulling oral rinse to keep away bad breath and kill bacteria. Consider using a mouthwash with antibacterial ingredients to help in preventing gingivitis and plaque. Remember mouthwash cannot replace flossing and brushing.
- Use Soft Bristle Toothbrush
When brushing, use a toothbrush with soft bristles. Hard bristled toothbrush can be harsh to the gums which might cause gum bleeding.
3.Use Dental Floss Daily
Flossing every day prevents bacteria and plaque buildup between teeth. Dental floss reach where the toothbrush cannot reach. It helps remove food particles trapped between the teeth that end up causing breath.
- Visit Dentist Regularly
According to experts, you should see a dentist at least every six months. During the dental checkup the dentist can diagnose any impending oral health issue and get started on treatment before it gets out of hand.
If there’s a serious issue, the dentist can recommend a dental x-ray in order to get to the root of the issue. Also, during the dental visits, the dentists will clean off any bacteria build up, plaque, or tartar.
- Avoid Smoking
Smoking affects every aspect of your health, including your oral health. According to CDC, smoking increases risk of gum disease. Smoking makes it hard for body to heal its tissues. Additionally, smoking causes permanent yellowing of teeth and tongue and bad breath. Also, it causes discoloration of lips.
6.Limit Your Intake of Starch and Sugars
One of the leading causes of cavities is high intake of sugar coupled with poor oral hygiene. Avoid eating too much candy and dessert, as well as too much processed foods with high sugars.
According to WHO, you should only take 10% of sugar in the daily calories to reduce chances of getting cavities.
Instead of eating sugary food and a lot of starch. Consider healthier options such as vegetables, fruits, and dairy products.
7.Drink A lot of Water
Avoid drinking sugary beverages and start drinking a lot of water instead. The more soda and other artificially sweetened beverages you drink, the higher the chances of developing cavities.
Conclusion
Lack of proper dental hygiene can degrade the quality of your life and cause poor general health. Taking care of your oral health is easy. You need to create and learn a habit that will keep your mouth and teeth clean and healthy.
