If your dentist has recommended that you should pay more attention to the upkeep of your teeth there are plenty of things you can do to improve your oral health. This article aims to cover some of the most effective things you can to do improve your oral health routine.
Brush For 2 Minutes Twice A Day
Ensuring that you brush for 2 minutes in the morning and 2 minutes before you go to bed is a fantastic way to help ensure that you are keeping on top of your oral health. If you feel like when you brush you are not quite hitting the two-minute mark you should buy a timer or set a timer on your phone to go off when the two minutes is up; this can mean that you can always stick to the dentist-recommended brushing time.
Use An Electric Toothbrush
Dentists routinely recommend that their patients switch over to electric toothbrushes because they make it easier for you to brush your teeth effectively; this is because when the electric toothbrush vibrates it can cover a greater surface area of each of your teeth, which can help remove a greater amount of dental plaque and keep your teeth cleaner. Additionally, electric toothbrush heads are often smaller than manual toothbrush heads which can mean that an electric toothbrush head may be able to get in smaller gaps and crevices within your teeth, allowing you to cover a greater surface area when you are brushing your teeth.
Visit Your Dentist Frequently
It is recommended by dentists that you attend a routine dental checkup appointment at least every 6 months. When you visit your dentist in Wakefield they will be able to keep track of your oral health, take action if needed and give you oral health advice if you need it. This also gives you a chance to ask any questions about your teeth or the best ways to take care of your oral health.
Use Antibacterial Mouthwash
Using mouthwash helps you keep harmful bacteria in your mouth at bay and helps wash away food debris within your mouth, because mouthwash helps remove bacteria within your mouth plaque buildup is slowed down. We recommend that you use mouthwash before you brush your teeth, this is because if you brush your teeth and then use mouthwash you can remove fluoride from your teeth that is in toothpaste.
Switch To A Soft Bristled Toothbrush
If you are using a manual toothbrush you should ensure that you are using a soft bristle toothbrush, as soft bristle toothbrushes have a reduced risk of damaging your teeth and gums compared to a hard bristled toothbrush. Hard-bristled toothbrushes can even remove your teeth’ natural protective enamel which can make your teeth more susceptible to tooth decay and other complications.
Do Not Brush Your Teeth Too Hard
Brushing your teeth too hard has a range of negative side effects including the fact that you can remove natural protective enamel on your teeth by doing so. Brushing too hard can also cause gum recession and make your teeth more susceptible to being sensitive. If you feel this is something you commonly do you can purchase a smart toothbrush which will alert you if you are pressing too hard on your teeth.
Start Brushing Your Back Teeth First
Back teeth are more susceptible to tooth decay because of all the nooks and crannies in the back of your teeth, by brushing your back teeth first you can ensure that they get done right. Starting from the back of your teeth and brushing to reach the front of your mouth is a good way to ensure that you are brushing all of your teeth too.
Cut Down On Sugar In Your Diet
Cutting down on the amount of sugar in your diet is a good way to help protect your teeth and overall health against the negative effects of sugar. People who consume too much sugar are more likely to have tooth decay and other dental problems, which is why you should take steps to decrease your sugar intake. The National Health Service (NHS) recommends that adults should not consume more than 30g of free sugars per day, but a single can of Coke contains 34g of sugar; this highlights how easy it is to go over the recommended sugar intake. Before you consume food or beverages you should check the sugar content.
Use Food Traffic Light Labels
Looking at food traffic light labels on food packages is a good way to determine how healthy or unhealthy the things you consume within your diet are. Most foods and beverages sold in supermarkets have a traffic light system, which shows how much fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt there are in food and drink products. Each of these sections has a colour associated with them, foods with red sections on the food traffic light system should not be consumed very often as they are unhealthy. Foods that have an amber traffic light can be consumed more often than those with a red symbol but should not be consumed too often. Foods with green traffic light labels can be consumed whenever they are the healthiest.
Eat Foods That Are Good For Your Oral Health
- Foods High In Calcium And Vitamin D: Cheese, milk and yoghurt are all good for your teeth as they all contain high amounts of calcium and vitamin D which both help ensure that your teeth remain strong and healthy.
- Fruits And Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables also offer a range of positive vitamins such as vitamin C and antioxidant vitamins. Fruits and vegetables and vegetables that are crunchy such as apples and carrots can clean plaque from your teeth and freshen your breath whilst you eat.
- Meat: Eating meat promotes saliva production in your mouth, saliva is effective at washing away food particles within your mouth. Ensuring that food particles are promptly washed away benefits your teeth because foot particles when left in your mouth can grow bacteria within your mouth quickly; which can in turn increase plaque build-up speed, saliva and other sugar-free fluids such as water can also wash away food particles from your mouth.
Conclusion
Making improvements to your oral health routine can help reduce the chances of you developing dental health complications and extend the longevity of your teeth throughout your life.
