Maintaining good dental health requires more than simply flossing and brushing your teeth. In order to keep your mouth and teeth healthy for a lifetime, think about practicing some of these oral care tips:
1. Know your individual oral needs.
The best way to do this is to consult your dentist or other oral care specialists who can enlighten you about any dental conditions that you may have relating to other health problems you’re experiencing. For instance, cancer treatments, pregnancy and braces can affect your teeth differently and may require a change in your daily oral care routine.
2. Follow the recommendations your dentist gives about oral routine.
After talking with your dental health practitioner about the state of your oral hygiene, he or she will most likely develop a personalized oral health care plan for you to follow. The key to making this work is to understand what kind of additional treatments your health condition may require. Following a consultation with your dentist, make the effort to commit to the recommended methods and incorporate them into your everyday oral care routine.
3. Use fluoride to strengthen your teeth.
Undeniably, fluoride is a proven compound that effectively strengthens teeth with regular use. Both children and adults can benefit from it because it can prevent enamel decay and plaque from forming. Although most brands of toothpaste and mouthwash already contain this ingredient, many of these products do not have enough fluoride to prevent tooth decay. The best thing to do is consult your dentist about supplemental fluoride treatments to keep your teeth stronger. Since fluoride supplements are donated with higher concentration, this can be ideal for people who need prescription fluoride.
4. Daily brush and floss your teeth.
As two of the most basic measures in keeping your teeth in good condition, brushing and flossing are practices that should be done daily in order to stop bacteria buildup. Brushing should be done at least twice daily, and flossing should be done at least once. If you have time, brush after every meal. Since this action eliminates bacteria, any sugar left in your mouth after a meal will not have time to form acids that break down the tooth’s enamel. Left unheeded, tooth decay can cause gum diseases that are harder to treat.
If you take these four basic steps into account, you’ll be well on your way to having a healthy mouth, teeth and gums. And when your oral health is in good condition, you’ll probably feel more confident and happy!
Featured Image: Waxhaw Dental Center