How To Look After Your Teeth?
Caring for oral health is not just about having a beautiful smile; there are so many other benefits of having good oral health. For example, the American Dental Association states that our health is directly linked to physical health and well-being. Moreover, optimal oral health helps prevent various dental and physical health-related problems that may cause serious damage if not treated timely.
So now that you know about the importance of looking after your teeth, let us understand how should we look after our teeth to enjoy a healthy, sparkling white smile. Continue reading to learn more about the best practices for looking after one’s oral health.
How To Take Care Of Your Teeth And Gums Naturally?
Here are a few tips that will help you look after your teeth naturally:
- Regular Brushing – regular brushing is the most effective method for preventing various dental problems and ensuring optimal oral health. The Oral Health Foundation recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day using fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush.
- Flossing – flossing daily helps remove food debris from within the tight spaces between the teeth. This helps prevent the formation of tooth decay or the initiation of gum disease in the region.
- Eating Healthy – a tooth-friendly diet goes a long way in keeping our teeth and gums healthy. How? Because a fibre-rich diet helps remove plaque from the tooth surfaces and reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Similarly, eating a diet rich in essential nutrients and minerals helps boost immunity and resistance against infections.
Which Is The Best Way To Brush One’s Teeth, And With What?
There are many accepted methods of brushing one’s teeth. However, your dentist will suggest a toothbrushing method suitable for you after a thorough clinical examination. Dental experts recommend using a fluoride toothpaste for brushing as it helps prevent cavities and makes our teeth stronger. Similarly, one should use a soft-bristled toothbrush as it prevents wear of the tooth surface and damage to the gums during brushing. You can also use an electric toothbrush for oral hygiene maintenance if you like.
How Can I Clean My Teeth By Brushing?
As mentioned earlier, brushing alone is one of the most effective methods for maintaining optimal oral health. When we brush our teeth properly, we remove the adherent plaque layer on our teeth – which is the precursor to various dental health issues such as tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Is It Bad To Brush Your Teeth For 5 Minutes?
It is important to keep track of time when brushing your teeth. Healthline recommends brushing our teeth for at least two minutes to ensure optimal cleaning. Interestingly, a research study showed that most of the respondents only brushed their teeth for 45 minutes. The study also highlighted that by increasing our brushing time from 45 seconds to 3 minutes, we can
How Many Seconds Should You Brush Each Tooth For?
The ideal time to brush your teeth is 2 minutes or 120 seconds, according to the American Dental Association. However, many people brush their teeth for a much shorter time. Brushing your teeth for 2 minutes ensures that plaque deposits are removed from your teeth and the risk of tooth decay and gum disease is minimised.
What Are Some Effective Ways To Clean Your Teeth And Mouth?
The best way to keep a clean and healthy mouth is by brushing, flossing, and eating a healthy diet. These measures, combined with regular visits to the dentist will help you keep your mouth disease-free and enjoy a beautiful smile.
Is It Fine To Go 2 Days Without Brushing Your Teeth?
Dental experts recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day, preferably once in the morning and once before bed. Therefore, it is not recommended to go 2 days without brushing. Why? Because when you don’t brush your teeth, plaque will deposit on them and increase the risk of gum disease and tooth decay.
Is Not Changing The Head of an Electric Toothbrush Bad?
Ideally, one should replace the head of an electric toothbrush when its bristles become damaged. That is because damaged bristles cannot clean the teeth optimally, leaving behind plaque deposits. Therefore, whether you’re using a manual or electric toothbrush, it should be replaced when the bristles show visible signs of wear.
Why Should I Use Interdental Brushes?
Toothbrushes are excellent for cleaning visible tooth surfaces. However, the bristles of toothbrushes cannot completely penetrate the tight spaces between the teeth – called the interdental spaces. Therefore, to ensure optimal interdental cleaning, an interdental toothbrush is recommended. This toothbrush has specifically designed bristles that easily penetrate the interdental spaces and remove plaque deposits.
Are Toothpicks Safe To Clean Teeth?
Many people use toothpicks to remove stuck food particles from their teeth. However, this is not a safe practice. Why? Because a toothpick can damage the soft tissues of your teeth, causing bleeding and other complications.
How To Brush With Braces?
People who wear braces require more oral hygiene care than those who don’t. This is because optimal teeth cleaning becomes challenging with the brackets and orthodontic wires, and the risk of plaque buildup is higher in these cases. So, if you are wearing braces, you should brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste, floss daily, eat healthy and more importantly, use an interdental brush to clean the difficult-to-reach areas in the mouth.
Are you looking for the best family dentist in Surrey, England? Look no further, because Horsley Dental is your best choice! We offer high-quality preventive and restorative dental services to our esteemed patients in a comfortable and relaxing environment. So, book a free consultation with us today and let us give your family a healthy and lasting smile.
BSC, BDS (KING’S COLLEGE LONDON), MJDF RCS (ENG)
PRINCIPAL DENTAL SURGEON, GDC NO: 177407
Shiral qualified from King’s College London with degrees in Biomedical Science in 2004 and Dentistry in 2009. Shiral went on further to complete her membership in the joint dental faculties (MJDF) examinations with the Royal College of Surgeons. Shiral has undergone extensive training in both practice and hospital.
Shiral is the new Principal owner of Horsley Dental, your local Leatherhead dentist.