Wondering how you can keep your teeth and your gums healthy at home?
Here are a few best practices you can follow for a healthier mouth.
- Brush Twice A Day For Two Minutes
The best way to keep your smile healthy is to maintain proper brushing habits. You should be brushing for at least two minutes, and cleaning each tooth thoroughly.
It’s best to brush once at night before you go to bed, and to brush again in the morning after breakfast. This ensures that you remove the maximum amount of bacteria from your mouth when you brush.
If you want to do more for your oral health, you can consider brushing three times per day. Brushing after breakfast, after lunch, and after dinner or your final meal of the day is a great way to enhance your oral health by removing plaque and food debris.
- Floss Once A Day
Make sure that you floss at least once per day. Brushing alone only cleans about 60% of the surfaces of your teeth. Flossing is essential for cleaning in the crevices and gaps between your teeth that your toothbrush simply can’t reach.
- Use Mouthwash To Kill Bacteria
Using mouthwash is no substitute for regular brushing and flossing, but it can be a helpful addition to your oral hygiene routine. You can use mouthwash to rinse away food and bacteria when it’s impractical to brush, such as after you go out to lunch.
- Choose A Tooth-Friendly Diet
A diet that’s high in sugar and starch will lead to higher levels of oral bacteria, which cause tooth decay and gum disease. Avoid sugary foods and drinks, and eat lean meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy, unprocessed foods.
- Know How To Avoid Things That Could Damage Your Teeth
To avoid chipping or breaking your teeth or damaging your dental work, there are a few things you should not do.
- Chew extremely hard foods like ice and almonds with your rear teeth, rather than your front teeth
- Avoid chewing pens, pencils, fingernails, and other non-food objects
- Don’t eat sticky or gummy foods if you have crowns or fillings to avoid pulling them out
- Never use your teeth as tools to help you open bags or packages, or tear tape
Focus On The Basics To Keep Your Mouth Healthy!
If you brush and floss properly, maintain a tooth-friendly diet, and avoid doing things that could damage your teeth, you’re sure to be able to keep your mouth healthy and strong. So follow these tips from OMSNashville, and improve your own oral health routine.
The information and content on our website should not be used as a substitute for medical treatment or advice from your doctor.
