How to keep your teeth clean and healthy?

It takes a lifetime of care to keep your teeth clean and healthy. Even if your teeth are nice, bright and white, you still need to follow oral care daily to stay on top of your dental health. From brushing to rinsing, from eating right to using good oral care products, from adopting a good lifestyle to staying away from bad habits, you must do a lot to keep your teeth clean and healthy forever. Only then can you expect your smile to be perfect and your face to be beautiful in true sense.

Here are some of tips to keep your teeth clean and healthy –

1. Brush twice a day
Your mornings should start with brushing and your day with end with brushing. Doctors always recommend that you should brush twice a day to keep your teeth clean and healthy. A lot of people don’t brush at night and let germs and plaque build up on teeth and gums to cause serious damages. If you don’t brush at night, you may never have healthy teeth for sure.

2. Brush gently and thoroughly
Brushing twice a day is not going to help much unless you go how to brush. The way you brush is key to keeping your teeth clean and healthy. If you don’t brush properly, it would be akin to not brushing at all. The right technique is to go gently and be thorough, with your brush moving in circular motion to reach to all parts of the mouth and help remove plaque. Rushing through the act and not using the right way of brushing may help plaque to harden which eventually leads to a variety of oral problems including gum disease.

3. Floss between the teeth
Brushing alone is not going to help much as your toothbrush bristles can never reach between the teeth. Therefore, proper cleaning is not possible with brushing alone. With flossing, you can clean between the teeth and take out anything stuck there easily. In general, food leftovers and plaque and bacteria hide between your teeth which your toothbrush is not designed to flush out. Flossing can do that, so it should be part of your daily oral care routine.

4. Clean your tongue daily
A lot many people don’t clean their tongue as they think brushing and flossing are enough to stay on the right side of their oral health. Well, they could not be more wrong as tongue is where most of plaque and bacteria build up. In fact, bad breath is common among people who don’t clean their tongue regularly. Not cleaning the tongue may give the bacteria present in your mouth a chance to enter the bloodstream, reach to different parts and cause some serious health issues over time.

5. Use a fluoride toothpaste
Be careful when you choose your toothpaste. You would certainly not want to get a product that is only sugar, powder and flavors. It won’t serve the purpose in any manner and rather can harm your teeth over time. Dentists advise choosing and using only a fluoride-containing toothpaste to keep away the risk of cavities and tooth decay. Such a toothpaste can fight germs or bacteria that often lead to decay, so helping strength your teeth in the process.

6. Use mouthwash
Mouthwashes are good for oral health and you should be using to keep your teeth clean and healthy. They are helpful in reducing the amount of acid in your mouth, which thus lowers the risk of enamel erosion. More importantly, a mouthwash can reach all areas of your mouth and ensure thorough cleaning in and around the gums as well. Above all, a good-quality anti-microbial mouthwash not only skills germs but also re-mineralizes the teeth. It can be perfect for anyone either not regular with brushing like children and older people.

7. Limit sugary and acidic foods
Sugary and acidic foods are bad for your dental health. Sugar is the worst enemy to your teeth as it gets converted into acid in the mouth and eventually leads to enamel erosion. This is how the risks of cavities and tooth decay will always be there among those with high intake of sugary items. Similarly, you should also cut back on acidic items including tea, coffee, alcohol, fruit juices and citrus foods as they can harm your teeth and gums greatly over time.

8. Eat crunchy fruits and vegetables
Crunchy fruits and vegetables are great for your teeth and you should be eating them more often. They are rich in fiber which is key to maintaining oral health. Such fruits and vegetables not only enrich the teeth with key nutrients but also get the jaw working for superior oral health. Most of them also work as natural toothbrush to scrub away food debris from your mouth and keep it clean. Apples, carrots, celery, pineapples, spinach etc. are some of items you should include in your daily diet for superior dental health.

9. Quit tobacco use
Tobacco use should be a big no if you want clean and healthy teeth. You just can’t smoke your way to dental health. The chemicals and toxins found in tobacco products are very harmful for your teeth and gums. They weaken the tooth structure over time, cause gum issues and above all, lead to oral cancer risks. Plus, smoking or tobacco use can also leave you with stained or discolored teeth. So, stop using them in any form and take a positive step towards maintaining oral health.

10. Drink more water
Water is elixir to life in true sense. It’s easily the best beverage for your overall health. Water is great for your oral health as well helping in more ways that you could imagine. It not only helps wash away foods and plaque from your mouth but also aids in saliva production and re-mineralizes teeth. Plus, it can neutralize the harmful effects of acidic or sugary foods and ensure oral health. You can consult best dentist long island to know in this regard.
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