Your oral health is incredibly important to your overall health. In fact, your oral health can be a window into good health issues. We may have a general idea of how to clean our teeth. But, what makes an excellent oral health routine? There are several key steps that you need to have exceptional oral hygiene. Having good oral health can prevent many dental and health issues.
Brushing Your Teeth
An essential part of any oral health routine is brushing your teeth. Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice a day for two minutes. This is to ensure that you remove as many food particles and as much plaque as possible. Plaque is a sticky bacteria that clings to your teeth. If you don’t get rid of plaque adequately, you can develop bad breath and more severe dental issues.
Bacteria eat the food particles in your mouth. As they feed, the bacteria release an acid that breaks down the tooth’s enamel. This can leave you vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease. For example, cavities are small pits that develop in the enamel after acid weakens it.
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day–or after meals–can remove most plaque, keeping your teeth healthy.
Flossing
Many dentists will tell you brushing your teeth is not enough to keep your mouth healthy. Flossing is a vital step in your oral health routine. Your toothbrush cannot brush between your teeth or underneath your gum line. Therefore, you need to supplement your brushing with flossing. This will remove more plaque from your teeth than brushing alone. In fact, plaque can build between your teeth and your gum line.
Over time, the plaque will continue to build and solidify into tartar. Tartar is a calcified plaque that you cannot remove at home. Unfortunately, only a dental professional can remove tartar during a cleaning. Without adequate removal, plaque can cause your gums to become irritated. You may notice swelling or even bleeding. Eventually, your gums will begin to recede, a gum disease symptom. Advanced gum disease can cause tooth and bone loss.
Healthy Diet
If you want to give your oral hygiene an edge, consider looking at your diet. Everything that goes in your mouth affects your teeth and health. A large contributor to poor oral health is sugar. Excessive sugar intake can increase your chances of tooth decay and gum disease. For example, because bacteria in your mouth feed on sugar, a high-sugar diet can lead to cavities or enamel erosion.
Additionally, you can add healthy foods to your diet to improve your oral health. For example, foods like celery and carrots are great snacks for your teeth. Celery and carrots have high water content and are high in fiber, making them great for your teeth. In addition, dairy products, such as cheese or yogurt, can increase saliva production. Saliva neutralizes bacteria, providing protection to your teeth.