10 Tips to Keep Teeth Healthy

The only way to have a great smile is with proper oral hygiene and good dietary habits. Here are some tips to help you keep or get that beautiful, bright smile.

1.  Learn to Brush the Right Way

It should normally take two minutes to brush each time. You should be holding the brush at a 45 degree angle while brushing lightly against your teeth and gums. Pressing down too hard could damage the outer shell of the teeth, also known as enamel. Use a soft toothbrush and brush twice a day especially after meals. Don’t neglect the back teeth and tongue.

2. Floss

It is recommended that you floss once a day. Food and plaque can be found between our teeth in those hard to reach spaces that our toothbrush just can’t quite get to. Flossing prevents that leftover food from staying embedded between the teeth and hardening into tartar or calculus. It doesn’t matter whether you floss before or after your meal, just do it.

3.  Limit Sugar in Food

Be careful of the sugars that are hidden in foods. Try to switch out sugary foods and drinks for fruits and water. It’s no secret that sugar is the cause for cavities. According to Colgate.com, each time you consume food and drinks that contain sugars or starches, the bacteria in plaque produce acids that attack your teeth for twenty minutes or more. That’s more of a reason to ease up on the sugar if you ask me.

4. Avoid Staining Your Teeth

Want pearly whites? Avoid any dark food or drink items which are prone to stain and darken your teeth. Excessive intake of dark food and drink items such as wines, coffee and tea can cause staining of teeth. Red wines produce tooth-discoloring pigments. Red and white wines both contain acid, which can erode enamel and can cause stains from other foods or drinks to penetrate more deeply. Another thing is there is dryness of the mouth due to tannins  present in red wine. Smoking is the other main culprit.

5. Replace Your Toothbrush

Change your toothbrush every three months. Old bristles could be hard and can cause damage to teeth and gums.

6. Prevent Teeth Injuries

Ever use your teeth to open that stubborn package? Well stop! You are at risk of chipping or breaking your teeth. No more opening bottles, chewing ice or anything of that nature. Your teeth should be just for chewing food. Avoid hard or frozen lollies or foods. Also, when participating in sports, wear a mouth guard to protect against trauma to your teeth.

7. See your dentist

Many people fail to see a dentist each year. Most dental diseases can be prevented with regular hygiene appointments and good hygiene practices at home. The earlier a problem is detected, the better. Some other reasons to visit your dentist include sensitive teeth to cold or hot temperatures, persistent bad breath, or spots or sores in your mouth that never seem to heal or go away. However, just going regularly is best because some symptoms aren’t as obvious. Dentist visits should occur at least twice a year.

8. Use Mouthwash

Although not necessary, some mouthwashes can kill or reduce the bacteria in your mouth. Mouthwash also helps to freshen the breath.

9. Watch your diet

Proper nutrition helps keep your teeth and gums healthy. The nutrients and minerals in your diet help can help you fight or resist infections.  Eating more fibrous food like vegetables and fruit is helpful and is best to avoid sugars. When it comes to drinks, water is the best!

10. Limit Alcohol 

Drinking alcohol can lead to a reduction of saliva production by drying out the mouth. Saliva plays an important part in oral hygiene health as it is responsible for bathing the teeth and removing some plaque and bacteria that have accumulated on the surface of the teeth. The less plaque you have the less risk of any bacteria causing teeth decay. Just try to keep water on hand and rinse every so often.