6 Pieces of Advice for a Healthy Smile

Our teeth are important. We don’t get an extra set like a shark, and they don’t continuously grow like a beaver, so we need to take care of them to ensure they last throughout our lives. Thankfully, though, there are things everyone can do improve the quality of their teeth. If you follow these steps, then you shouldn’t have any problems with oral health and your teeth will last a long time.

Avoid Acidic and Sugary Food

Both acidic and sugary foods are outright bad for your teeth. Sugary food promotes the growth of bacteria and plaque. These wear down your teeth and can result in cavities or worse. If you cut out these kinds of products for a healthier alternative, then you will quickly see an improvement in oral hygiene. Instead of eating a chocolate bar, consider having some carrot sticks instead. You will notice a difference in your overall health as well as in your mouth. When it comes to acidic food, soft drinks are one of the primary culprits. The acid coats your teeth and eats away at them. Additionally, if you brush your teeth directly after consuming food of this type, then you will end up sweeping away your teeth’s enamel. If you can find a way to alter your diet so that it no longer includes food of this sort, then you will have healthier teeth, gums, mouth and body.

Quit Smoking

Tobacco stains your teeth, causes gum disease, can result in tooth loss, and results in cancer of the mouth. The sooner you stop smoking, the better for your teeth and general health. If you still need nicotine, then consider switching to e-cigarettes as they don’t contain the harmful substances in regular cigarettes. There are still very few studies on the damages that e-cigarettes can cause, so it would probably be better to quit altogether, but they might help you along the way.

Brushing, Flossing, and Mouthwash

Everyone should brush their teeth twice a day — once in the morning and again before bed. After each brushing session, you should use mouthwash. There are a lot of different types of mouthwash, so researching the one that is best for you can be important. The same is true for toothpaste, for example, if you have sensitive teeth, then you will want specialist toothpaste. If you are unsure, then consult your dentist. Before brushing in the evening, though, you should floss. Take the time to floss each tooth and don’t rush. Flossing is about more than just removing stuck food and doing so will improve your oral health. You should replace your toothbrush when the bristles become squashed or frayed. At the very least this should be every 3-4 months, but you will often want to change it sooner. This applies to both electric and regular toothbrush heads.

Visit Dentist

Visiting the dentist is essential for several reasons. They can inform you of the overall health of your mouth, give you advice on how to improve or maintain that health and perform any fillings, cleaning, or tooth removal that you might need. If you aren’t registered with a dentist, then you could find yourself waiting a long time for urgent treatment and suffering for longer than necessary with a toothache. Regularly visiting the dentist will also help to spot any issues before they become severe and this could help prevent any tooth loss or gum disease.

Chew Gum

Studies have found that chewing gum that contains xylitol helps to improve your oral hygiene. This is because xylitol helps to prevent bacteria and plaque from sticking to and building up on your teeth. This means that popping a stick of gum with xylitol in after a meal can help to improve your overall dental health. Chewing the gum in general also helps to create saliva, which in turn helps the mouth to regulate and control its activity levels. This means that chewing gum can help prevent acid in things like soft drinks from causing as much damage to your teeth as they would without the gum. Chewing gum is a simple activity that many people already do, and now you can integrate it as a post-meal treat that will also help to keep your mouth healthy.

Research

Similarly to visiting your dentist, research can be one of your most significant assets. While you might want to wait and ask your dentist a question concerning your dental health, you might not have an appointment for months. This is where the internet can be a big help. If you are concerned about bad breath, ulcers or anything else to do with your mouth, then searching for answers online is a great start. You might not find the exact answer you were looking for, but it will definitely inform you about what could potentially be wrong and more information is always better. It is worth double checking the advice with your dentist, but visiting professional medical websites are likely to give you the same or at the very least similar answers to your dentist. The internet and researching, in general, is one of the most significant tools available for improving or maintaining your dental health, and it is one that shouldn’t be overlooked.