According to the CDC, more than 47% percent of adults have some form of periodontal disease such as gingivitis. Your risk of these diseases increases as you age, and the risk jumps up to 70% by the time you’re 65.
The challenge is that most of these diseases are preventable with the use of good oral hygiene. Dental care is an essential aspect of life, and a healthy oral routine could prevent you from experiencing tooth loss, decay, periodontal disease, and thousands of dollars in dental bills.
We’re going to look at some things you can do to stay healthy today, giving you a little insight into how you might be able to improve your oral routine. Let’s get started.
Contents
1. Brush Properly Each Morning and Night
First things first, you need to brush your teeth regularly. It’s not a myth that brushing prevents cavities, plaque, tartar, and disease.
Further, it’s important that you brush all of your teeth for the appropriate amount of time. Generally speaking, you should spend a few seconds on each exposed side of every tooth.
2. Floss (At Least) Each Evening
We would all benefit from flossing after each meal. The goal of flossing is to remove food and plaque from your teeth so that they don’t evolve into tartar.
Plaque’s most fruitful time in the evening, though, so it’s most important that you floss before bed. That said, don’t hold yourself back from carrying floss picks around with you.
3. Avoid Sugary and Sticky Foods
Sugary and sticky foods are some of the worst for our teeth. Sugar breaks down into plaque and gives bacteria free rein to multiply and destroy your gums and enamel.
Sticky foods do some damage to the enamel, weakening it and making it easier for plaque to spread. The occasional sugary drink or sticky candy is okay, just make sure they’re few and far between.
4. Visit Your Dentist Regularly
People have a strange habit of avoiding the dentist. For whatever reason, it’s not uncommon to meet people who have hardly ever been to the dentist.
If you’re not a fan of traditional dentists, take a look at these reasons to consider holistic dentistry.
5. Drink a Lot of Water
Water is an excellent drink for your oral and general health. It washes out some of the food chunks and generally cleans the mouth rather than contributing to plaque.
Not to mention, switching your sugary drinks for water might have far-reaching positive implications on your health.
6. Eat Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables have a tendency to be crunchy. Crunchiness cleans and scrubs your teeth.
That’s why apples are a good food to eat for your oral health. Fruits have a tendency to be sugary, but their sugars are much less significant than the dozens of grams shoved into cans of soda.
Start Your Dental Care!
If you follow these essential dental care tips, you can help keep your mouth healthy!
Be sure to brush and floss your teeth daily, and visit your dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings. If you have any concerns about your oral health, be sure to talk to your dentist.
Explore our site for more ideas on improving oral hygiene and keeping your pearly whites as healthy as they can be!
