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The Oral Health Habits You Need To Add To Your Routine

wisdom teeth
Photo by H Shaw on Unsplash

Practicing good oral hygiene is something that we’re all taught from a young age, but are we really taking good enough care of our teeth? While we all break out the toothbrush every day, there is so much more we could be doing to improve the hygiene of our mouths. From flossing and using mouthwash to opting for a teeth whitening London service from time to time, we’ve pulled together a quick list of the oral health habits you need to add to your daily routine.

wisdom teeth
Photo by H Shaw on Unsplash

Brush And Floss

 

Whether you’re invested in the best toothbrush money can buy or you’ve opted for a cheap electric toothbrush, the important part is that you use it. Make sure that you brush twice a day for two minutes, spending equal time in each quadrant of your mouth. When it comes to flossing, you only need to do it once a day, ideally at night, but make sure that you follow the curve of your teeth to prevent damaging your gums in the meantime. This will ensure that any food caught between your teeth will be removed, preventing any rotting or decay as a result!

Use Mouthwash

Mouthwash makes a good way to finish off your oral health care at the end of a day, however, it’s important not to overuse it. While mouthwash will help to kill bacteria in your mouth and leave you feeling fresh after brushing, it can also kill the good bacteria there to protect your mouth and break down food. When you come to use the substance, however, make sure you sip a small amount, swirl it around for about 30 seconds, before spitting it out into the sink.

Protect Your Teeth With A Guard

If you partake in a lot of sport or other physical activity, it could be a good idea to invest in a mouth guard. This will prevent any breakages, chipping or potentially loss of a tooth in the case of an accidental collision! On the same strain, wearing a mouth guard at night can prevent the effects of teeth grinding by preventing them from grinding against each other. Plenty of us can suffer from grinding our teeth or clenching our jaw as we sleep, so this could be a great investment regardless of your sleeping habits.

Adjust Your Diet

Diet can have a huge effect on our oral health, as you may well already know. While it’s a given that you should avoid sugary and acidic foods, the likes of rice, potatoes, and white bread also have an effect on our teeth. Carbohydrates break down into sugars so while they don’t have sugar in them initially, they can cause issues as the food breaks down. Avoid sticky, sugary and starchy foods and acidic beverages like coffee and make sure that you thoroughly brush and floss your teeth afterward!

Go To The Dentist Regularly

 

The greatest guard you can have against bad oral health is to simply go to the dentist regularly. If anyone is going to identify potential problems before they can become irreparable, it’s your dentist or prosthodontist. In most cases, they’ll even be able to provide you with the care you need then and there, preventing you from needing returning or emergency dental care if things get bad.

Our mouths are an important part of our daily life and we can often forgo the care that they need and deserve. By adding the above tips into your daily routine, however, you can get a head start on a healthy, happy mouth.