While brushing your teeth daily is a must, if you want to have healthy teeth with no cavities, and avoid gum disease, you need to do a bit more than brushing. Plus, you need to make sure that you are actually brushing properly. Here are a few tips on how to make sure you have the healthiest mouth possible.
Brush Properly
While brushing isn’t the only thing you need to do, you still need to do it, daily. Brush your teeth a minimum of two times a day, for two minutes at a time. It can help to actually set a timer, no matter how old, or young, you are. You should brush more often if your teeth feel dirty, and after certain meals (even if it’s just to freshen your breath).
You should also use mouthwash, which is not just freshening, but it also help kill germs and loosen up food particles stuck in your teeth. Flossing daily is something else that is extremely important. If flossing is too difficult for you, for whatever reason, you can get a good water flosser that makes it easier to do.
Visit The Dentist
Your dentist has probably told you to come in for a checkup every six month, although as an adult you can usually do it once a year. As you get older you may want to switch back to every six months if you still have many of your own teeth left. There are many reasons a visit to the dentist is important, not just for a cleaning.
Your dentist can get early detection of gum disease and even mouth cancer. Your dentist can take x-rays and know the health of your teeth from the inside out. If you have any cavities they can take care of them right away before pain, infection, and broken teeth start happening.
Watch What You Eat
There are some foods that are worse for your teeth than others, and there are some foods that are great for your teeth. Don’t brush your teeth immediately after eating acidic foods, because you can brush away precious enamel that protects your teeth.
Sugary foods, like candy bars and carbonated sodas, are damaging to your teeth and can lead to cavities if you aren’t brushing regularly. However, some fruits and veggies can help keep your teeth strong and clean, like apples and carrots. You also want to consume dairy products, since calcium helps protect your teeth as well.
Once you reach adulthood, the teeth you have are all you have left, and getting replacement is not a small bill. That is why it is important to care for your teeth now, and forever. Keep them clean and make sure to visit your dentist on a regular basis so that you can catch issues early and deal with them before they get out of control.