How to Keep Your Mouth Healthy With These 8 Tips

Oral Health Tips

When it comes to maintaining your oral health, it’s all about establishing healthy cleaning habits. From brushing your teeth twice a day to flossing your teeth in between meals, a fine set of teeth takes more than just squeezing the toothpaste out of your favorite tube. There are a lot of ways you can improve your oral health and doing so will help preserve the condition of your teeth and save you from costly treatments in the future.

We’ve gathered these 8 tips that we believe will help keep your mouth healthy all year round. Take notes and start reading.

1. Visit the dentist regularly

Most people are afraid of going to the dentist because they fear it’s a painful, uncomfortable experience. That could be further from the truth because the role of a dentist is to oversee your oral health and treat oral diseases. The last thing you want is to suffer from a severe toothache caused by a dental cavity due to poor oral hygiene (and reluctance to visit the dental clinic).

Most dentists recommend that you visit a dental clinic at least twice a year. This enables them to monitor the condition of your teeth and treat any minor problems before they become a serious one. The horror stories you hear are completely untrue and reputable dentists such as Dentist Joondalup will make sure that your next appointment is as comfortable and pain-free as possible.

2. Age is just a number

Children and older adults usually fly under the dental health radar, but that doesn’t mean they’re exempted from receiving adequate dental care. Most babies develop their teeth within 6 to 12 months and by the time they’re one year old, they should have at least one trip to the dentist to make sure there are no problems. At this point, you want to brush your toddler’s teeth to prevent baby bottle teeth using a soft-bristle brush with a pea-sized toothpaste on top.

Older people should also see a dentist regularly, with the reason being that tooth enamel wears out as we age. This can lead to tooth decay and worse, periodontal disease if they don’t maintain good oral hygiene. Age is just a number and everyone should consider a trip to the dentist to maintain a healthy smile.

3. Cut down on fizzy drinks

Soda is a primary contributor to tooth decay because it eats away at your tooth enamel. Phosphoric acid and citric acid are the two main ingredients that attack your teeth and wear it down. While an occasional fizzy drink won’t hurt, you should limit your soda intake to at least one can a day. If you can, use a straw so that the soda won’t soak your teeth and prevent the acid from eating away the surface of your teeth.

4. Limit consumption of sugary foods

Sugar is also a large culprit for tooth decay, mainly because it combines with the bacteria in your mouth to form acid which then damages your teeth. If you eat too much sugary foods, plaque can develop on the surface of your teeth (which is a sticky film of bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease). Cut down on sugary treats and aim to brush and floss your teeth if you do decide to indulge in sugary foods.

5. Quit smoking

Smoking causes a lot of adverse effects on your oral health. It stains your teeth due to the tar and nicotine found in cigarettes and it increases your risk of developing gum disease. Smoking creates an environment for bacteria to thrive in your mouth which can cause a lot of problems like tissue damage, bone degradation, and eventually tooth loss. If you can’t quit smoking, try to decrease it gradually to preserve the condition of your teeth.

6. Use an electric toothbrush

An electric toothbrush is not a gimmicky tool. In fact, it’s much better at cleaning your teeth and gums as opposed to a manual toothbrush because the brushing action is more consistent and accurate. Some electric toothbrushes are loaded with tech features that can help you improve your brushing habits as well. Investing in a quality electric toothbrush can go a long way towards maintaining your oral health while making it convenient for you when brushing your teeth.

7. Brush your teeth properly

It’s easy to think that brushing harder is better in terms of removing plaque and food deposits, but this can actually do you more harm than good. Brushing your teeth with excessive force can  actually cause gum bleeding and may even wear out your tooth enamel prematurely. When brushing your teeth, use gentle force and brush in a circular motion that’s angled at 45 degrees to get to hard-to-reach areas. 

8. Master the art of flossing

Flossing is essential for keeping your teeth and gums healthy. Even the thinnest of bristles won’t be able to reach in between your teeth all the time and this is where a dental floss comes in. The main issue is that plenty of people don’t know how to floss properly and that they end up with bleeding gums as a result. The right way to do it is to cut a foot of floss and wrap each end around your fingers. Pull it tight and insert the floss in between your teeth, moving the floss back and forth until you remove the stuck food particles and break up the plaque.

When flossing, it’s important that you continue moving from one end of the floss to another. This prevents food particles from re-entering in between your teeth to keep it nice and clean.

With these 8 tips, you’ll be able to keep your mouth healthy and maintain a beautiful, white smile for many years to come. Make sure to give these tips a try and see how much of a difference it can make to your overall oral health.

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