Oral hygiene is very important. It can affect your overall health just as much as it can be affected by it. For this reason, you must take good care of your teeth and visit your dentist as often as you need. These are some basic tips on how to take care of your oral hygiene.
Brush and floss your teeth every day
It’s important that you properly clean your teeth every day. This includes both brushing and flossing. By brushing and flossing your teeth you are removing built-up dental plaque. That is a sticky pile of bacteria (or in other words germs) that can be quite harmful to your teeth. If you let this type of germs build up on the surface of your teeth, you can end up having to deal with tooth decay or gum disease.
To prevent this from happening, you need to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste. You need to do this at least twice a day. Make sure you brush your teeth after you have breakfast and right before going to bed. You also need to floss between your teeth regularly. In case you struggle with flossing, you can always ask your dentist to recommend you a special brush that you can use instead.
Watch for changes in your mouth
It’s also important for you to closely observe any changes in your mouth no matter how insignificant they may seem to you. As you get older, the risk of getting oral cancer becomes higher. For that reason, you need to consult your dentist if you notice any of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks:
- A sore spot in the mouth, throat, or on a lip
- A thick area or a lump in your mouth, lip, or throat
- A red or white patch in your mouth
- Having a hard time chewing, swallowing, or generally moving your tongue and jaw
- Numb mouth or tongue
- Swelled up jaw
- Experiencing pain only in one ear but without hearing loss
See your dentist regularly for a check-up and cleaning
There’s no general rule of how often you need to visit your dentist. It all varies from person to person. That is why you need to talk to your dentist about your situation. Next time you go for a regular check-up, ask your dentist how often you need to come for a check-up. Since these check-ups tend to be regular, consider getting private dental insurance. This can help you a lot in the long run.
Talk to your doctor about dry mouth
Having a dry mouth indicates the lack of saliva in your mouth. This is something that you should definitely discuss with your dentist. This seemingly insignificant issue can make it challenging for you to talk, eat, and swallow. In addition to that, dry mouth can cause tooth infection or decay. Dry mouth can be caused as a side effect of some medicines, but it can also be caused by other health issues like diabetes. If you notice symptoms of a dry mouth, make sure to talk to your dentist.
Get the damaged teeth repaired
In case you have any damaged teeth, see with your dentist what you can do to either repair them or replace them. One of the best options you can go for is to get high-quality dental implants. Among many great benefits of getting dental implants, some of them are:
- Dental implants prevent bone loss
- They match your natural teeth
- They restore your bite force
- You won’t get cavities
Practice healthy habits
Lastly, if you want to keep your teeth healthy and pearly-white, you need to develop and maintain some healthy habits. Try to avoid sugary foods and drinks. This will help you prevent tooth decay and it’s just good for your health as a whole. Try to quit smoking and don’t use any tobacco products either. If you drink alcohol, try to drink it in moderation. In other words, try to bring it down to 1 drink a day.
Conclusion
All in all, if you want to keep your teeth healthy and white you need to visit your doctor regularly, brush your teeth every day, and maintain healthy habits that will prevent serious dental issues from occurring in the first place.
