Nine Oral Health Care Tips You’ll Read About This Year

These dental health tips will give you a fresh mouth and an attractive smile.

Everyone wants to have a healthy, beautiful smile, but you have to do more than just want it. You have to work for it! Proper maintenance is necessary to keep those pearly whites looking great. Your teeth deserve nothing less than the best oral health care.

Your oral hygiene routine is crucial to maintaining your smile and preventing gum disease, tooth decay, infection, and bone loss. Daily dental care will help you guard against these conditions while benefiting your oral health for years to come. Check out our top tips for healthy teeth that you can implement on a daily basis from the comfort of your home!

Top Nine Best Oral Health Care Tips

1. Proper Brushing: Did you know that there’s a right and wrong way to brush your teeth? If you want your brushing to be effective, brush at a 45-degree angle starting from the gum line.Gently brush with a circular motion on the outside, inside, and chewing surfaces of your teeth. The operative word is gentle. Many people are under the mistaken impression that rigor is necessary for an effective cleaning. Brushing too hard can have adverse effects, causing the gums to recede and damaging the root surface. Exposed roots can lead to increased sensitivity and put your teeth at higher risk for tooth decay.
2. Don’t Go to Bed Without Brushing: While the official ADA recommendation is to brush twice a day, the most important time to brush is right before bed. Going to sleep without brushing gives free rein to the bacteria in your mouth. Bacteria reproduce most often at night because of decreased saliva flow. So, don’t leave additional bacteria on your teeth by neglecting to brush!
3. Don’t Forget Your Tongue: Plaque can build up on your tongue, like any other part of the mouth. While some tongue bacteria is normal, other types will contribute to bad breath and other oral health problems. A healthy tongue is a uniform pink color, while a white, yellow, or deep red discoloration indicates the presence of bacteria. To keep your tongue clean, brush the surface from the back to the front. Using a tongue scraper can also help to remove bacteria when a brush doesn’t do the job.
4. Clean Your Brush: It’s not necessary to have special equipment to keep the brush clean. The ADA warns that covering your brush can actually breed new bacteria, so it’s best to leave it out to dry in the open air. You can leave it soaking in an antibacterial mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes to completely sanitize the bristles. Also, don’t forget that your toothbrush should be replaced every three months.
5. Pick the Right Toothpaste: Not all kinds of toothpaste are comparable in quality. Only buy products that carry the ADA Seal of Acceptance, which indicates that the toothpaste meets strict manufacturing regulations and contains an appropriate dosage of fluoride. An ADA guarantee gives you the assurance of a safe, optimal brushing experience!
6. Floss Once a Day: Flossing once a day is as important as brushing twice a day. Your toothbrush can’t reach deep in between your teeth. Flossing removes the opportunistic bacteria that accumulate in the gaps. A daily flossing routine will greatly reduce your risk for tooth decay between the teeth.
7. Drink Plenty of Water: We all know that staying hydrated is beneficial for your general health. But did you know that it’s a powerful way of improving your dental health? Drinking water washes away bacteria, which leads to a healthier oral environment.
8. Avoid Bad Oral Habits: Bad oral habits such as tobacco use, nail biting, or pencil biting can damage your teeth. Some of these can be more easily shed, while others will take time and effort. Tobacco use doubles your risk for gum disease, which is the single most common cause of tooth loss. Talk to your doctor to develop an effective quitting strategy, and your oral health will thank you for years to come.Grinding teeth can also cause problems for your teeth, gums, and jaw over the years. If you suspect bruxism at night, a nightguard can protect against cumulative damage to your teeth.
9. Limit Sugary Foods: Sugar gives bacteria more to feed on, and this produces acid as a byproduct. This acid erodes the tooth enamel, leading to cavities. A big culprit is sugary fruit juices, which are often perceived as a healthier choice. However, you should check the sugar content of any fruit juice you buy. More often than not, the high concentration of sugar means it is just as harmful to your teeth as any other sweet drink. If you do consume soda or juice, be sure to wash it down with water afterwards.

Visit a Dentist at Penn Dental Family Practice

The best oral health care always involves annual visits to the dentist. Seeing your dentist regularly will allow you to get maximum benefits from dental cleanings and preventive care.

Penn Dental Family Practice is a leader in Philadelphia dentistry, a wide range of specialties on site. Our dentists provide patients with a coordinated spectrum of care by interfacing across various specialties, including endodontics, pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics, periodontics, and general dentistry. No matter your age, health history, or unique concerns, the team at Penn Dental Family Practice is equipped to help you attain the best oral health care possible. Give your mouth priority this year by visiting us at Penn Dental Family Practice! To make an appointment, please call 215-898-7337.