How to Maintain Great Oral Health for Life
The effort to maintain great oral health is important for more than just your teeth. Did you know that maintaining oral health has been associated with a lower risk of certain types of cardiovascular disease, lower risk of diabetes, and even a lower risk of pre-term or low-birth-weight babies? This makes it more important than ever to keep your mouth, teeth, and gums in tip top shape. Here is everything you need to know in order to do just that!
1. Floss your teeth at least once a day.
Flossing your teeth helps to remove the beginnings of plaque build-up between your teeth – and this, in turn, helps to ensure that you won’t end up with cavities in those hidden spots. Additionally, flossing your teeth regularly can help you to maintain fresh breath since there won’t be so much food residue stuck between your teeth for bacteria to feast on.
2. Brush your teeth at least twice a day to maintain good oral health.
At a bare minimum, you ought to brush your teeth twice a day: once in the morning, and again before you go to sleep at night. If you’re able to, you can also consider brushing your teeth after every meal – if you do this, wait about 20-30 minutes after eating, then brush with a soft-bristled toothbrush.
3. Minimize and prevent cavities by using a fluoridated toothpaste.
The use of fluoride-containing toothpastes is an important weapon in your arsenal to prevent tooth decay. Not only does it help to strengthen teeth, but it can help them to remineralize too!
4. Consider drinking fluoridated tap water as a means to maintain good oral health.
If you live in an area with a safe supply of fluoridated drinking water from the tap, drink it! Exposing your teeth to low levels of fluoride in drinking water can be an important way to maintain their strength and prevent new cavities from forming.
5. Avoid foods that are bad for your teeth.
Ok, so technically, practically ANY food you eat can lead to tooth decay if you don’t floss and brush your teeth regularly. But, not all foods are created equal, and some are worse than others. Avoid foods that are high in sugar, sticky foods that will linger on your teeth long after your meal is over, excessive amounts of acidic citrus foods, beverages so high in caffeine that they dry out your mouth too much, acidic carbonated beverages, and excessive alcohol intake (due to its mouth-drying effects).
6. Do not smoke or chew tobacco.
Not only does smoking and chewing tobacco lead to unsightly stains on your teeth (let’s face it, yellow tobacco-stained teeth will NEVER be in style!), but it can increase your risk of many types of cancer. So just don’t do it.
7. See your dentist regularly to maintain good oral health.
Your dentist is one of your strongest weapons in the fight against tooth decay and oral health problems. They are trained to spot problem areas early and help you to either heal it, or prevent it from getting worse. They also are extremely well equipped to fix any problems that crop up from time to time.
You’re Now Ready for Great Oral Health!
If you follow these simple strategies, you’ll be well on your way to a lifetime of good oral health!
Have more questions about dental care and your oral health and live in the Oakville, Burlington or Milton area? The professionals at Reflections Dental would be pleased to help! Contact us today or visit our dental office.
