A healthy mouth leads to a healthy body. Many germs and bacteria enter through your mouth, but if you keep your mouth clean you can fight off these harmful invaders.
Here's a quick review on the best way to fight disease and maintain good oral hygiene.
Brush Effectively
The most important part of your daily dental care routine is brushing your teeth. Dentists around the world agree that to keep your mouth its cleanest, you should brush at least twice a day.
Knowing when to brush is the first step in effective brushing. You've probably heard that brushing after meals helps you remove the food from your meal. But if you brush after eating certain foods, you may remove more than food when brushing.
Certain foods soften the tooth enamel, the protective outer layer of the tooth. When you brush your teeth immediately after eating these foods, you risk removing part of this dense layer of protection. If your meal consisted of sugary or acidic foods, wait at least 30 minutes before brushing your teeth. This gives your mouth time to restore its pH balance and fight disease-causing bacteria.
Furthermore, it's important that you carefully brush each surface of your tooth. As a rule of thumb, spend at least two minutes brushing, focusing at least half a minute on each section of the mouth: top, bottom, left and right.
Other important considerations when brushing include:
Age of your toothbrush
Angle you hold the brush
Softness of your brush bristles
Type of tooth paste
Brushing pressure
If you need a refresher on the best brushing techniques, don't hesitate to ask your dentist.
Floss Daily
While brushing may clean most areas of the teeth, the toothbrush cannot reach the spaces between your teeth. To effectively prevent plaque and tartar buildup, you need to floss. Like brushing, you need to floss regularly. Not only will flossing help to eliminate bacteria, plaque and tartar, it also promotes healthy gums.
To floss properly, wrap a length of floss around the middle fingers on your hands. Then, using your pointer fingers, gently guide the floss between each tooth. Run the floss along the front and backs of each tooth. As you move between teeth, adjust your floss to clean with a fresh section.
Rinse Regularly
Brushing and flossing are the most important part of your oral hygiene , but you can take additional steps to ensure your mouth stays healthy. Rinsing with a mouthwash, for example, can kill many germs that live in your mouth.
Before you rinse, carefully read the instruction on the package, as the directions may vary between products. Generally speaking,however, you will swish a small amount of the liquid in your mouth for 30 to 60 seconds. After this, gargle the liquid and spit it in the sink (do not swallow).
Depending on how accustomed you are to gargling mouthwash, you may need to work up to the recommended time. And if you have sensitivity to mouthwash, use water. Simply drinking water after a meal can help remove leftover foods that cling to your teeth.
Schedule a Dentist Visit
The most important part of your overall dental care is to schedule a visit with your dentist. Making and keeping biannual dental appointments can help you catch problems before they become major issues.
During your biannual dental appointment, you will receive a thorough cleaning and speak with your dental care provider about your individual needs. Your dentist will give you tailored advice on how to keep your mouth happy and healthy.
If you haven't met with your dentist for more than six months, schedule your visit today.
