When you visit the dentist, they will have lots of advice on how to protect your oral health. There are several oral hygiene habits that are worth developing and maintaining in your daily health routine. These daily activities can help prevent periodontal diseases and cavities and help you maintain good oral health.
Daily Oral Hygiene
Having a daily regimen including good oral hygiene is very important for maintaining your gums and teeth. Having healthy teeth helps you feel and look good. But keeping your teeth healthy also enables you to speak and eat properly. Having good oral health is an important part of your overall health and well-being. By practicing daily preventive care you can stop many problems before they even start to develop. This can mean that they are less painful and easily to treat than conditions that have progressed to a moderate or severe state.
Between Dental Visits
There are some positive actions that can be taken in between visits to your dentist in Clearwater. Taking these steps can help decrease risks of developing dental conditions including gum disease and tooth decay. Here are some of the ways to prevent dental problems from developing:
- Daily brushing and flossing
- Eating a well-balanced diet and limiting snacks
- Use dental products like toothpaste that contain fluoride
- If directed by your dentist, use a fluoride rinse
What you can do Every Day
There are plenty of steps you can take to keep your mouth, teeth and gums in tip top shape. And some of these should be done every single day. For instance, your teeth need to be brushed at least twice a day and after meals specifically. Besides brushing and flossing every day, it’s important to use a good mouth rinse or mouth wash. Not only can a good mouth rinse keep your mouth cleaner, it can help reduce damaging bacteria in the mouth. It can also help reduce the buildup of plaque.
Your daily eating habits can also have a lot to do with your oral health. Be sure to include foods with plenty of calcium like milk in your daily eating regimen. There are also foods that help clean your teeth when you don’t have time or opportunity throughout the day for brushing. Crispy foods like apples, celery and carrots can actually help clean the teeth. Eating a well-balanced diet is key to maintaining a healthy body and mouth.
Talk to your dental professional about the use of fluoride products. For most people fluoride can be beneficial to keeping a healthy mouth. Dentists may recommend that you use toothpaste and mouth wash that contain fluoride to help prevent cavities and tooth decay. Children who are under 12 years of age might need to drink fluorinated water and in some instances take fluoride supplements. This is usually rare and should only be done at the advice of your dentist but in areas that are non-fluoridated it can be beneficial.
Foods to Avoid
There are several foods and substances to avoid or at least keep out of your daily regime if you want your mouth and teeth to stay healthy. Tobacco use can not only stain the teeth badly, but they can cause irreversible damage in many instances too. Drinking sugary drinks should also be avoided since the sugar can lead to cavities and overall poor dental health. Sugary foods and desserts can be damaging for teeth too and should be avoided or only indulged in on occasion.
Brushing Daily is Good
Not only should you brush your teeth every single day, it should be done properly to ensure proper mouth health. You should be brushing your teeth at least three minutes every time. If you need to, set a timer to make sure you are spending enough time brushing in your daily routine. Flossing can be done every day, but it needs to be done at least every other day to make sure there is no buildup between the teeth. Always use ADA approved dental products and tools when practicing good dental hygiene. The goal is to prevent the buildup of plaque, fight breath, prevent tooth decay and gum disease.