Your oral health is of crucial significance as your smile is one of the foremost factors in creating a pleasant first impression and also since it has a great impact on your overall health.
It takes a lifetime of efforts and care to retain a healthy smile. Even if you know that yours is a beautiful smile you should make it a point to take care of the oral health and avoid problems.
This can be done when you use the right oral care products and follow smart practices as your daily habits.
Here are some of the beneficial daily practices that will enable you to get the smile of your choice. Just take a look.
- Brush Twice a Day and Floss Daily – The tooth decay and the gum ailments are some of the greatest oral issues and this is not just the case with the older people. According to research about a quarter of the teenagers have bleeding gums. Apart from the basic practice of brushing twice a day and flossing daily, here are some of the tips that you should remember.
- The teenagers who have braces may call for special toothbrushes and related hygiene tools for brushing the teeth. You should talk to the orthodontist regarding this.
- The toothbrushes even for those who do not have any apparent oral issues or tools installed in the mouth should be changed 3-4 times every year.
- The older people with problems like arthritis can have trouble in holding a toothbrush or using floss. While for some using an electric toothbrush is easier, others can simply put a foam tube or bicycle grip over the handle of a regular toothbrush for making it easier to hold.
- Don’t Ignore the Tongue – Plaque can also develop on the tongue and this can lead to several problems including bad mouth odour. So every time you brush the teeth you should also brush the tongue.
- Use Fluoride but Not Too Much – Fluoride is one of the greatest factors that has contributed massively towards the betterment of oral health since time immemorial. It strengthens the enamel and makes the teeth less prone to decay. If the water that you drink is not fluoridated, you should talk to the dentist and she may suggest a fluoride application for you. There are many mouth washes and tooth pastes that also contain fluoride. You should use fluoride sparingly for the kids. It should be no more than a dab of pea-size on the toothbrush. Too much fluoride can create white spots on the teeth.
- Skip the Sugar and the Acid – The starchy and the sugary foods can lead to cavities and tooth decay. The sugar reacts with the bacteria present in the saliva for forming an acid the erodes the enamel of the tooth which is the outer protective layer of the teeth. The coffee, tea and acidic fruits can also erode the enamel of the teeth. Though it is true that you do not have to avoid the foods altogether, you should be a bit careful and limit the intake of such foods.
- Drink More Water – For the overall health, water continues to be the best beverage for the overall health and your oral health is not an exception to that. You should drink water after every meal. This can help to wash off the negative effects of the acidic and the sticky foods and beverages in between the brushes.
- Eat the Crunchy Vegetables and Fruits – The ready-to-eat foods can be quite convenient, but they are not so great in case of your teeth. The fresh and the crunchy veggies and fruits not only are enriched with fibres, but they also are the best choice for the teeth. It is also recommended to the parents to let the kids to munch on the harder-to-eat materials and chew as hard as they can when the are young. So, as a parent, you should avoid the mushy processed foods and cutting the veggies into small pieces. This will make your child’s jaws work.
- Don’t Use Smokeless Tobacco or Smoke – The tobacco stains the teeth and the risks of gum disease and the oral cancer are enhanced because of smoking.
Apart from that, if you have opted for lingual braces that you can get at the best lingual braces cost in India at a clinic near you or have dental fillings, you should take additional precautions as recommended by your dentist. You should also make it a point to visit the dentist at least twice a year so that you can retain your oral health in the best way for years to come.