Practices For Healthy Teeth

A healthy mouth can be very beneficial. In our daily lives, our teeth play a crucial function. We use them to chew and digest food, communicate and speak clearly, and give structure our faces. Additionally, there are daily advantages to smiling. It can improve our self-confidence and have an impact on our social, professional, and romantic life. Because of this, taking the greatest possible care of our oral health only makes sense.

Brushing and flossing

By brushing and flossing on a regular basis, we can protect our teeth from periodontal disease and cavities by practising proper oral hygiene.

• Brushing- We should brush our teeth at least twice a day, shortly before night and after breakfast, to eliminate dental plaque. Use fluoride toothpaste and a small, soft-bristled toothbrush. After brushing, remember to spit rather than rinse your mouth because doing so will wash away the fluoride’s preventive effects. 

Every three months or whenever the toothbrush bristles start to look old and shaggy, we should change our toothbrush or the brush head of an electric toothbrush.

• Manual toothbrushing technique
  • To clean the gum margin, position the toothbrush head at a 45-degree angle
  • To remove plaque from both above and below the gum line, gently move the toothbrush in a small circular, forward and backwards, jiggling or vibrating motion over each tooth
  • On the inner and outer sides of each tooth, repeat this procedure
  •  Clean the chewing surfaces with a moderate backwards and forward scrubbing motion

• Electric toothbrushing technique
  • At the gum line of each tooth, press the brush head against it
  • Move the toothbrush gently over each tooth, cleaning the exterior and interior surfaces
  • By holding the brush’s head against each chewing surface, you may thoroughly clean all of the teeth’s chewing surfaces

• Modified toothbrush

If we struggle with manual dexterity, an electric toothbrush or a manual toothbrush with a modified handle may be simpler to hold and provide us with better control. The handle may be bent or extended, made larger or heavier, or equipped with ergonomic handles, among other modifications. Consult a dental practitioner or occupational therapist for suggestions on the modified toothbrushes.

• Flossing- Once daily, we should floss our teeth before brushing. Be careful not to harm gums when flossing. Although flossing could be challenging at first, it gets easier with experience. Talk to the dentist if there is any confusion about the type of dental floss to use.

• Flossing technique
  • With just a small amount of floss remaining between the two hands, take around 40 cm of floss and wrap the ends around the second finger of each hand
  • With a gentle sawing motion and one finger in the mouth, drag the floss  into the space between two teeth until it barely sags below the gum line
  • To remove plaque and food particles, wrap the floss around one tooth and wipe the area
  • In between the same two teeth, reposition a fresh piece of floss
  • To clean the side of the other tooth, wrap the floss around it
  • To thoroughly clean the crevices between each tooth, repeat these procedures around the mouth

• Alternative to dental floss

Floss aids, interdental brushes, and interproximal brushes are alternatives to dental floss. Cleaning the spaces between teeth is done with interdental or interproximal brushes, which resemble miniature bottlebrushes. These tiny brushes are also perfect for cleaning around crowns, between the roots of teeth where gum recession has developed, and under bridge work.

• Interdental/Interproximal brushing technique

To clean the area, simply insert the brush into the opening and move it back and forth. Talk to the dentist about interdental/interproximal cleaning methods and alternatives to dental floss.¹

Eating and drinking habits

Foods and drinks that are beneficial for healthy teeth

Cheeses (particularly matured cheeses like cheddar, Monterey jack, and Swiss), chicken or other lean meats, and nuts are the finest meal options for maintaining the health of your tongue. Since they include the minerals, calcium, and phosphorus necessary to remineralize teeth, these foods are believed to protect tooth enamel. Green vegetables like broccoli and spinach are high in calcium if you have lactose intolerance and cannot  consume milk products.²

Foods and drinks to avoid for healthy teeth

• Sticky candy and sweets- Choose sweets that leave your mouth fast if you indulge. So avoid processed sugar-containing candy like lollipops, caramels, and cough drops
• Food that is starchy and can cause mouth gumming. For instance, potato chips and soft bread can become stuck between your teeth
• Carbonated soft drinks- For children and teenagers, these beverages constitute the main source of added sugar. They contain a lot of sugar. Moreover, the phosphoric and citric acids in most soft drinks erode enamel
• A Substance that dries out our mouth- They include alcohol and numerous medications. If medications are to blame, discuss getting a fluoride rinse or fluoride toothpaste with a dental care practitioner³

Regular dental check-ups

Importance of dental check-ups

• To avoid oral disorders like gingivitis, gum inflammation, tooth loss, decay, and infection, schedule routine dental checkups. Regular dental checkups will remove plaque and tartar from trouble spots that need particular attention to be removed when we neglect to brush or floss that need to prevent future problems. Let’s say if the dentist notices some symptoms of any oral disorder, they might suggest fluoride treatments and prescribe toothpaste and dental sealants to stop plaque from accumulating on the chewing surfaces of teeth. To prevent  dental problems and maintain a whiter smile in the future, it is crucial to attend routine dentist appointments
• Seeing a dentist helps to avoid problems that, if left untreated, could become permanent. Examples include teeth that require extraction because they are rotten or decaying or even teeth that suddenly misalign. With the help of X-rays, dentists can detect cavities and decay early. Regular dental visits might prevent the need for tooth removal by providing the correct care
• An excellent place to learn about dental health is in the dentist’s office. Dentists, for instance, can instruct on good oral hygiene practices like brushing and flossing. When we have a particular concern, dentists can also suggest a customized dental program to make sure our teeth and gums are healthy and strong
• Regular dental examinations offer a secure setting for diagnosis when there is fear of having temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) or a concern like a decaying tooth. We can also address these with a dentist at our examination if we have a history of certain illnesses or are currently taking medication that impact on our oral health. For instance, some drugs can make your mouth feel dry, which raises the possibility of oral infections. Also, dentists can arrange additional visits or treatments procedure to handle any particular issues we want to take care of, and with a whiter smile and peace of mind that our health is in order, we can improve our self-esteem⁴

How often to schedule dental check-ups

It is advised that we should visit the dentist twice a year. This is an excellent general principle to adhere to when in doubt. But, we should consider our particular mouth, hygiene, habits, and general well-being if we want to be certain how frequently we require a dental checkup.⁵

Additional practices for healthy teeth

• Pay attention to the tongue- Our tongue may also develop plaque. This may cause various issues with dental health in addition to poor breath. Every time we brush our teeth, we should brush our tongues as well
• Use toothpaste with fluoride- There are more factors to consider in toothpaste than whitening ability and flavour. Whatever version is selected, make sure fluoride is present
• Use mouthwash- Mouthwash is beneficial in three different ways: it lessens the amount of acid in the mouth, cleans the gums and hard-to-reach areas around them, and remineralizes the teeth. Mouthwash is especially helpful in children and older adults, where the capacity to brush and floss may not be optimum⁶

Summary

Prevention is the goal of oral hygiene. This implies that by taking good care of our teeth and gums, we can prevent oral health problems like cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and other problems before they begin.

Whole-body health is connected to oral health as well. For instance, if we have an infection in our mouth, the germs could travel to another part of our body through the bloodstream and can cause heart disease and stroke. Long-term overall health depends on maintaining strong teeth and gums. And by practising good oral hygiene like brushing our teeth twice a day, flossing, tongue cleaning, brushing teeth with fluoride toothpaste and drinking fluoridated water, avoiding sweet food, not using tobacco, and visiting the dentist every 6 months and following the instruction, we can easily achieve that.