Oral Hygiene Tips

Oral hygiene is the practice of taking care of your mouth and keeping it clean, healthy and free of diseases. Good oral hygiene includes brushing and cleaning teeth and that’s essential for a healthy mouth. When you make sure your oral hygiene is good, you are left with strong white teeth, pink, good-looking gums that don’t hurt or bleed and a nice, fresh breath.

How to maintain good oral hygiene?

Everybody wants a beautiful white smile they can be proud and confident with. Most people do brush their teeth twice a day and believe that’s enough. However, doing this is just a small part of all the proper care your teeth actually deserve. In this article, you will find out everything you need to do in order to maintain good oral hygiene.

Proper brushing technique

Brushing your teeth shouldn’t be something you do in a hurry. You need to make sure you spend at least two minutes brushing and that you do so at least twice a day, especially before going to bed. Specialists advise that you use a soft bristle brush and that you place the brush at 45-degree angle to the gums. Since a lot of bacteria stay on your tongue and that’s one of the main reasons for bad breath, it’s important that you brush your tongue as well. You can even find special tongue scrapers now which make that a lot easier.

Regular flossing

Flossing regularly is a must for keeping good oral hygiene because the dental floss gets to the spots between your teeth which your toothbrush can’t reach. You shouldn’t reinsert bacteria from one tooth to another, so you should use a piece of floss about 18 inches long. This way you can use a clean area of floss for every few teeth. Another flossing tip you should know is that the floss should wrap around each tooth in a ‘C’ shape and should be placed under the gumline.

Use a Mouthwash

Rinsing your mouth with a mouthwash after brushing and flossing will kill all the remaining bacteria that’s unreachable neither by a brush nor by floss. Making this part of your daily oral hygiene routine will leave you with a fresh breath and strong teeth. However, you should consult your dentist for more information about the best mouthwash for you.

Go to the dentist regularly

Even if you do everything that’s recommended for good oral hygiene and healthy teeth, going for a regular dental checkup at least twice a year is still necessary. Your dentist will examine your teeth for any cavities or other problems. You can also get your teeth cleaned by your dentist to remove any calculus and doing that will prevent possible complications in future.

Have a healthy diet

Eating well is good for every part of your body, including your teeth. If you want to have a healthy smile, you should include more fruits, nuts, vegetables, and fish in your diet. Foods rich in calcium, such as cheese, milk, and yogurt are also good for strengthening your bones and teeth and for building enamel. Things you should avoid are tobacco, alcohol, sugary foods, and drinks, coffee and soda. They can all damage your teeth and coffee and red wine can also stain them.

Oral hygiene for kids

Not everyone is aware of the fact that babies and toddlers can get cavities even before the eruption of their first visible baby teeth. Since babies are born with all 20 primary teeth in their jaws, teeth problems may arise even before the actual appearance of the first tooth. This is why dental hygiene should start early to prevent decay as much as possible.

Why do parents need to take care of the oral hygiene of their kids?

If decay of a child’s primary teeth is not treated, problems with the eruption of the permanent teeth could occur. The healthier the primary teeth are, the healthier the permanent ones will be as well.  A common issue with babies’ teeth happens when a baby is put to sleep with a bottle. This can harm mostly the upper front teeth, but other teeth as well which is why parents should be aware of this.

Tooth Decay Prevention for Kids

According to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), parents should first take their child for a dental checkup within 6 months of the eruption of their first tooth and no later than their first birthday. The dentist will advise them on how to take proper care of their kid’s teeth and how often they should go for a visit.

Good habits for good teeth

As long as they have a good example, children can build healthy habits for life. You can brush your teeth together and make the experience fun for them. Limit the sugary intake of your child and explain to them what that’s doing to their teeth. Make sure they understand how cavities are formed and how that can be avoided. There are many fun and educational children’s books revolving around this topic too.

Oral Health and Pregnancy

It is a well-known fact that all kinds of changes happen to the woman’s body when pregnant, especially in hormonal levels. This can increase the risk of gum diseases and other oral health issues. That’s why it’s important not to neglect your oral hygiene routine during this time.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Having swollen gums while you’re pregnant is very common. It’s caused by the change of hormones and it’s called pregnancy gingivitis. One of the symptoms is easily bleeding gums, so if you notice that, you should visit your dentist. During pregnancy, flossing at least once a day is recommended because little pieces of food get stuck between the teeth more easily when the gums are swollen.

Morning sickness

Morning sickness can be the cause of tooth decay because of the strong stomach acid that can damage the teeth. Specialists advise rinsing your mouth with a mixture of baking soda and water instead of brushing your teeth immediately after your morning sickness. Baking soda helps neutralize the acid and reduce the chance of getting cavities.

Oral hygiene is obviously a major part of your overall health. Following the above tips and maintaining the expressed high standards will guarantee that you’ll keep your teeth and mouth in great condition.