We all know that brushing your teeth is the first step in maintaining good oral hygiene. But unfortunately, as good as that habit is, that’s only scratching the surface of what it takes to look after your pearly whites.
There’s so much more that your parents may or may not have taught you, but either way, we’re here to help you achieve a healthier smile!
This article offers helpful tips for maintaining oral health and keeping your smile looking, feeling, and smelling healthy.
1. Wait before brushing your teeth
Enjoy a lovely grapefruit or orange first thing in the morning? Well, go ahead and enjoy your citrusy treat, but for the love of teeth, don’t brush your teeth straight after eating it. Foods with a low pH level can temporarily soften your tooth enamel (the same goes for acid drinks).
So, when you brush your teeth after eating them, which is done to look after your teeth, due to the weakened enamel, you could be doing more harm than good. You might actually be removing some of the softened enamel, especially if you’re using a harder-bristled toothbrush.
After consuming anything acidic, whether it’s a Pepsi Max or an orange, give yourself a good 30 minutes before you brush your teeth.
2. Use a soft-bristled brush
Contrary to that instinct that tells you brushing harder will give your teeth a better clean, in order to protect your teeth you need to give them a gentle brush. Do you use a toothbrush with hard to medium bristles?
If so, you might want to consider changing it to a soft-bristled toothbrush as they tend to be very abrasive and could damage your teeth over time. Brushing with a softer toothbrush will do just as good a job if you use the right technique and brush for the right duration.
Dentists suggest brushing your teeth for 2-minute periods at a 45-degree angle and applying light pressure. There’s no need to brush vigorously, you’re not trying to scrub the kitchen floor.
3. Brush from back to front
Some people may start on the right, the left, the top, or the bottom when brushing their teeth, but did you know there’s a specific way to effectively brush your teeth?
Starting from the back of your mouth can help you ensure that you consistently brush those hard-to-reach spots near your wisdoms.
You’ll be able to get out any food that’s slipped under the gum back there, keeping them clean and making them less susceptible to gum disease and preventing cavities from forming.
4. Use Mouthwash
As kids, our parents usually taught us the basics of oral care, such as brushing our teeth twice a day and flossing. However, adding mouthwash to the mix can significantly improve your oral health.
Brushing your teeth and flossing helps remove a substantial amount of germs and bacteria from your mouth, but it doesn’t get it all. Mouthwash will kill more bacteria and assist in stopping plaque development. Once you’ve brushed and flossed, do a 30-second mouthwash to give your mouth a proper cleansing.
5. Avoid over-brushing
We know that having a clean mouth and fresh breath feels nice, but avoid over-brushing your teeth.
Some people brush their teeth after every meal to ensure that their breath is fresh. However, this can damage your gums and the enamel on your teeth. Stick to it twice a day.
6. Skip the sugary drinks
Sugary drinks like Coke aren’t great for your teeth. That said, if you choose to drink them, avoid sipping them slowly throughout the day. As we said earlier, acid drinks can soften the enamel on your teeth.
This is because the excess sugar in the soda is used as a food source for bacteria in your mouth, helping it to metabolise into lactic acid — eventually.
7. Chew on teeth whitening treats
Certain foods can help keep your teeth clean and appear whiter. Snacks like cucumbers, pears, apples, carrots, lettuce, and celery can all help scrub your teeth while you chew and naturally remove the plaque that tries to build up.
Hence the phrase, “An apple a day keeps the dentist away.”
8. Keep up to date with your dental appointments
It’s recommended that each person sees the dentist at least twice a year for a check-up. During this check-up, the dentist will assess the health of your mouth and address any issues that may have developed.
Most dental issues are progressive by nature. Meaning that the longer you leave them, the worse they’ll get. This is why visiting the dentist bi-yearly is so vital. You’ll catch problems before they get worse. If you haven’t been to the dentist in a while, consider contacting your general dentist in Melbourne now to book an appointment.
9. Try using xylitol
We all have bacteria in our mouths, and contrary to popular belief, sugar does not cause cavities. It’s the interaction between the sugar and the bacteria that causes cavities.
Unlike sugar, bacteria cannot ferment xylitol and, therefore, may starve out the cavity-causing bacteria in your mouth, reducing them by up to 90%.
Final Thoughts
It may seem tedious at first, but once you get into the habit of doing these things, you may experience a radical difference in the condition of your teeth.
Some of you may be implementing these into your daily routine already, and for that, we say well done! And for those who haven’t yet, we hope that these tips will be helpful to you.
Beauty and Lace is an online magazine for women. We hope you enjoyed this article!