Dental Care 101
Dental care is important to your overall health. Poor oral hygiene can lead to a number of problems, including bad breath, tooth decay, gum disease (periodontitis), and oral cancer. To keep your teeth healthy, you should brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss daily. You should also clean between the teeth with an interdental brush or water jet.
To maintain oral hygiene, you should drink plenty of water every day so that food particles don’t get stuck between your teeth. For example, if you eat a sandwich for lunch, take small bites and chew carefully so that you don’t swallow large pieces of food that could get stuck between your teeth during the afternoon snack. Also, avoid eating sticky foods such as caramel toffees or chewy candies because they can leave residue on your teeth if you don’t rinse them after eating them.
Good dental care is the most effective strategy to keep your teeth and gums healthy. In addition, there are some things you can do to avoid dental problems. Here are some detailed tips on how to maintain oral hygiene.
Oral Hygiene Tips
- To maintain oral hygiene, you need to brush and floss your teeth regularly and see your dentist every 6 months or so.
- Brush twice daily with a soft-bristled toothbrush or use sensitive toothpaste instead of regular toothpaste.
- Clean between teeth daily with floss or interdental cleaners that have been designed for this purpose. Be sure to floss between your teeth at least once a day, preferably at bedtime when saliva flow is greatest and plaque builds up overnight on teeth surfaces exposed when the tongue rests on them during sleep. This can also help reduce snoring as it removes food particles from between the jawbone and tongue which causes vibrations when breathing through the mouth (snoring).
- Use fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride helps strengthen enamel and can prevent tooth decay.
- Rinse with mouthwash after brushing your teeth. Mouthwash contains alcohol, which kills bacteria that live in the mouth, preventing gum disease and bad breath.
Eat a healthy diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables, fruit juices, milk, and cheese (which contain calcium) so your teeth stay strong as they grow in childhood and adult life. - Don’t smoke – it not only causes bad breath but also causes gum disease and makes existing dental problems worse.
- Drink lots of water throughout the day to keep your mouth moist and prevent dry mouth (which can cause bad breath).
Oral hygiene is very crucial to one’s overall health. The mouth is home to a wide variety of bacteria, which can cause damage to the teeth and gums if they are not properly maintained. Maintaining good oral hygiene involves brushing and flossing regularly. In addition to healthy teeth, these habits help prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
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