It’s no secret that a dazzling smile features high on the wish-list of most people. However, we often forget what can easily give us that coveted smile — a sound dental care routine. Maintaining proper dental hygiene is important not just for cosmetic reasons but for health reasons as well. Weak dental hygiene can lead to various health problems including gum disease, bone loss, and even serious medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
You may brush your teeth everyday but that’s not enough. You need to have a comprehensive home care routine that will ensure better health for your teeth and also save you the hassles and expenses of making frequent trips to the dentist. Here are some tips on how you can take good care of your teeth at home.
1. Use the right techniques for brushing your teeth
We all brush our teeth but very few follow the right way to brush. Focus on using proper techniques to brush every part of your mouth as follows:
- First of all, you should brush for at least, two minutes — most adults don’t brush that long.
- Next, while brushing, make sure to position the bristles of your toothbrush at about 45-degree to your gum line.
- Take care to clean both, outer and inner surfaces of your upper and lower teeth.
- For thorough clean up, use short, gentle strokes in up-and-down, back-and-forth motion.
- For fresher breath, brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth.
- Brush twice a day to prevent bacteria formation from bits of food that may be lodged between your teeth.
2. Floss without fail
This is often the most neglected part, even though we all know how essential it is. Flossing helps remove food molecules that get decomposed and pave the way for plaque and cavities. It allows easy access to hard-to-reach areas between the teeth. Flossing, after brushing, is highly recommended at least once a day.
3. Use mouthwash after brushing and flossing
No, mouthwashes are not fancy breath fresheners. They play an important role in prolonging the anti-bacterial effects of brushing and flossing. However, not all mouthwashes are useful. Most effective are the ones containing ingredients like fluorine and chlorine dioxide. Such mouthwashes are particularly useful in killing bacteria and forming an anti-plaque layer on your teeth.
4. Limit your intake of sodas, coffee, tobacco, and alcohol
Tobacco is the worst offender when it comes to your teeth. Avoid it for healthy teeth, gums, and overall good health. Beverages like soda, sugary drinks, coffee, and alcohol contain high-level of phosphorous, which causes an imbalance in the body’s calcium composition. Weak calcium is a primary reason for dental issues like tooth decay and sick gum. Plus, excessive intake of colored and sugary beverages makes teeth appear dull and stained.
5. Try out home teeth whitening for that confident smile
If yellow, discolored teeth is your problem, keep a teeth whitening kit handy. A good peroxide based at-home teeth whitener can whiten your teeth up to 6-7 shades.
