Practicing proper oral hygiene is essential for everyone, as it affects the health of your gums and teeth. Good dental health is crucial to protect your teeth against decay and cavities. At the same time, it also ensures that you don’t develop serious oral health concerns resulting from plaque build-up, gum disease, and other dental problems.
The best way to keep your gums and teeth healthy all year round is to have a stable at-home care routine. Of course, daily brushing and flossing play a big part in keeping your mouth healthy. But is this enough to get a sparkling smile and a healthy mouth in the long run?
This blog will help you discover the best tips and tricks on oral hygiene to help protect and strengthen your teeth.
What is Oral Hygiene, and What Does It Entail?
Practicing proper oral hygiene involves several steps that help keep one’s mouth clean and free from oral diseases. It primarily consists in brushing and flossing your teeth daily.
At the same time, it’s equally important to schedule regular appointments with your dentist for oral examinations, X-rays, and dental cleanings, i.e., every six months.
One must carry out oral hygiene regularly to prevent dental disease, plaque build-up, and bad breath. You may already know bad breath can be a real turn-off, right?
Some of the most common dental infections caused due to poor oral hygiene are:
- Tooth Cavities/ Dental Caries– Tooth cavities, also known as tooth decay or caries, are small openings or holes in the hard surface, i.e., the enamel of your teeth. It is formed when the acids in the mouth erode the enamel of your teeth due to poor dental hygiene–not brushing or flossing regularly, etc.
- Gum Diseases, including Gingivitis and Periodontitis, etc.- Gingivitis is the first stage of periodontitis (gum disease). It first manifests as swollen red gums. There is some bleeding, but the good part is there is no bone loss.
Gingivitis is most often caused by poor oral hygiene and plaque build-up. In many cases, it is also accompanied by bad breath.
Why is Oral Hygiene Important?
We all know that prevention is better than cure. Oral hygiene is preventive care that can stop oral health problems and other issues. The sooner you learn to take good care of your teeth and gums, the better.
Oral care also has a direct impact on your body’s overall health. For instance, if your mouth is infected, your blood vessels can carry the bacteria to other body parts. These bacterial infections can cause serious health concerns like heart disease or strokes. We’ll discuss this in greater detail below.
Remember that keeping your teeth and gums healthy is vital for long-lasting overall health.
Primary Conditions Related to Oral Health
Research has proven that oral health complications like periodontitis and gingivitis can lead to specific health conditions, including:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Endocarditis (infection of your heart’s inner lining)
- Stroke
- Pregnancy complications further result in premature birth and low birth weight.
- Pneumonia
Certain health conditions can also compromise the health of your teeth and gums, including:
- Osteoporosis
- Diabetes
- Alzheimer
- HIV/AIDS
If you or someone close to you has any of the conditions mentioned above, consult your dentist about how you can improve your oral hygiene to preserve your overall health.
Signs of Poor Oral Hygiene
Several warning signs can signify oral health problems. The most common symptoms of poor oral hygiene include:
- Tooth decay
- Bleeding gums
- Loose teeth
- Chronic bad breath
- Mouth sores that don’t go away
- Swelling of the jaw
- Toothache
- Gum recession
- Gingivostomatitis (infection of the mouth caused by certain bacteria or viruses)
The Best Tips and Tricks For Oral Hygiene
As you may already know, excellent oral hygiene protects your gums and teeth while keeping your smile beautiful.
Here are some best yet simple tricks and tips to help improve your dental hygiene and keep your healthy smile intact.
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Change Your Brushing Technique
While brushing your teeth, try to use fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. Medium or stiff bristles toothbrushes tend to damage your tooth enamel and gums.
At the same time, you must also change how you brush your teeth.
Here are some expert-recommended techniques that will help keep your teeth sparkling longer.
- While brushing your teeth, tilt your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle toward your gums. Doing so helps sweep away bacteria and plaque at the gum lining.
- Brush in small and slow circular motions.
- Make sure you brush your teeth’ outer, inner, and chewing surfaces.
- Wait for a few seconds to rinse your mouth.
- Spend two minutes of your busy schedule brushing twice a day.
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Use Floss and Antibacterial Mouthwash
Most people know that flossing and using mouthwash is essential, but ask yourself do you actually floss and use mouthwash frequently enough.
Flossing helps you reach the spaces between your teeth that brushing cannot. On the other hand, an excellent antibacterial mouthwash can work wonders for your oral health. Mouthwashes get into even the most minor gaps, removing harmful bacteria and food particles. Please make sure you choose an alcohol-free mouthwash to prevent dry mouth.
While it is not entirely necessary to floss or use mouthwash after every meal, doing it once a day can help protect your teeth and prevent you from going through the dilemma of oral health problems. After all, it’s dentist recommended!
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Use a Tongue Scraper
A tongue scraper scuffs away excessive oral bacteria from your mouth. Try including this in your everyday dental care routine to eliminate bacteria and bad breath.
You can get a metal or plastic tongue scrapper, or pick a toothbrush with a scraper on its back to make things simpler.
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Avoid Smoking and Using Tobacco Products
Smoking is one of the leading causes of gum disease and oral cancer. Therefore it is best to avoid tobacco. If you want to quit smoking, you can always ask your healthcare expert about treatment choices that can help.
If you find quitting smoking or chewing tobacco challenging, try limiting your usage. You can also go for nicotine gums and patches till your urge reduces.
Lastly, the key to avoiding smoking and using tobacco products is to have faith in yourself and exercise willpower. Believe that “You can do it.”
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Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Last but certainly not least, you can schedule a routine check-up with your dentist. While good oral hygiene can significantly lower the chance of enamel erosion, there are chances plaque can build up on your teeth’ surface.
Consistent with your dental checkup and cleaning can ensure good oral hygiene, remove plaque that has become hard and too difficult to remove through brushing, and protect your teeth.
Advantages of Practicing Good Oral Hygiene
While a dentist can repair damaged teeth, decay, or gum disease, it is always better to take some precautions for good oral hygiene. Practicing good dental regime showers you with a wide range of benefits, including:
- A beautiful smile.
- Healthier teeth and gums
- Fresher breath
- Reduced risk of oral cancer
- Lowers the risk of developing health issues such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
When and Where to See a Dentist?
Maintaining good dental hygiene is the key to good oral health. Following the above tips and tricks for good oral care and routine dental visits will help keep your teeth and gums in proper condition.
A routine checkup helps your dentist treat and detect problems before they become severe.
Treatment is necessary to treat oral health conditions and boost overall health by eliminating harmful bacteria.
You can plan an appointment every six months for your dental cleaning. During the visit, your dentist can examine your teeth and gums to make recommendations according to your needs.
You can schedule a dental consultation with River’s Bend Family Dental if you develop symptoms like bleeding gums, tooth pain, chronic bad breath, or loose teeth.
Get the Best Dental Treatment at River’s Bend Family Dental
Are you suffering from tooth loss, or are your swollen and bleeding gums giving you a hard time? Lack of oral hygiene can lead to such issues, but with the help of an expert like Dr. Wimmergren at the River’s Bend Family Dental, you can overcome all your dental problems.
We provide our patients with the necessary support and care at River’s Bend Family Dental. We’re always happy to help you keep your teeth, gums, and mouth as healthy as possible. Call today to set up an appointment for convenient and quality dental care now!
