8 Ways To Look After Your Teeth

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Your teeth are precious; you may not realise it now, or even think about it much, but if you were to lose them then you really would understand just how important they are. As well as being so precious in terms of your looks, and how well you are able to eat your favourite foods, having healthy teeth can prevent you from developing other diseases such as gingivitis and even some cancers. Healthy oral hygiene is essential for a healthy life in general. Toothache is extremely painful and can negatively impact your usual routine; you may not be able to work productively, or even spend time with friends or family.

This is why it is so crucial that you look after your teeth to keep them as strong and useful as possible for as long as you can. Here are some great tips on how to do it.

Brush At Least Twice A Day
Brushing before bed is when most people remember that they are meant to be brushing their teeth, but that’s just not enough. Once a day is better than nothing, but by the time you come to brush your teeth, the sugars and bacteria in food and drink will already have started to do damage. It’s much better to brush your teeth at least twice a day; in the morning when you’re getting washed and dressed, and at night when you’re getting ready for bed.

If you can brush more than twice a day, and include a brush after lunch, for example, then you’ll be doing an even better job of keeping your teeth healthy. It isn’t always possible, of course, depending on where you are and what you’re doing, so aim for twice a day – anything else will be a bonus.

Quit Smoking

Smoking has many health issues related to it, but you may not have considered your teeth when you thought about reasons to give up. One of the most obvious effects that smoking has on your teeth is that it stains them an awful yellow-brown colour. That’s down to the nicotine and tar in the tobacco, and it doesn’t take long for your teeth to discolour when you start smoking.

Smoking also leads to gum disease because it produces more bacterial plaque. Not only that, but smoking means that there is less oxygen in the bloodstream, and when there is less oxygen, any damaged gums will take a lot longer to heal. It means tooth loss is extremely common.

If you quit smoking, it may be possible to reverse some of the damage done, and vaping could be the best way to help you quit. You can get more info here. Vaping might just be too much like your old habit though, and you may want to find a solution that is nothing like this to really put some distance behind your smoking days. If they are legal where you are, you could try some THC gummies to help you manage feelings of stress and anxiety that perhaps cigarettes helped with in the past – there’s even a guide over on Observer.com to help you choose the perfect gummies for you

Choose The Right Toothbrush
Although you may automatically assume that a toothbrush with hard bristles is going to be the best one to pick because it will do the most thorough job, that may not be right. Instead, look for a toothbrush that has soft bristles. It will still clean your teeth, but it will also protect your gums, and that’s just as important. Infected, damaged gums can cause you to lose teeth even if the teeth themselves are healthy. A toothbrush with a small head is good as well because it will more easily be able to reach your back teeth.

The best toothbrush to use altogether is an electric one. Manual toothbrushes are great, and your teeth will be clean, but electric toothbrushes can move much more quickly and reach more areas than a manual one can. If you’re not sure what you should choose, speak to your dentist about it.

Use The Right Toothpaste
Just picking up the first toothpaste you find because it seems to be a good price may not be the best idea for keeping your teeth healthy and protected. You need to read the labels and see what the toothpaste does, and what its ingredients are. Find one that has fluoride in it, as this will harden your tooth enamel and reduce your risk of decay when used regularly.

If you have fluoride, everything else is your own personal choice. Some toothpaste has charcoal or baking soda for an extra deep clean, and some have whitening products. The choice is entirely yours.

Quit Smoking
Smoking has many health issues related to it, but you may not have considered your teeth when you thought about reasons to give up. One of the most obvious effects that smoking has on your teeth is that it stains them an awful yellow-brown colour. That’s down to the nicotine and tar in the tobacco, and it doesn’t take long for your teeth to discolour when you start smoking.

Smoking also leads to gum disease because it produces more bacterial plaque. Not only that, but smoking means that there is less oxygen in the bloodstream, and when there is less oxygen, any damaged gums will take a lot longer to heal. It means tooth loss is extremely common.

If you quit smoking, it may be possible to reverse some of the damage done, and vaping could be the best way to help you quit. You can get more info here.

Brush Properly
There is a lot more to brushing your teeth than quickly running your toothpaste covered brush over them and rinsing. Proper brushing should take at least two to three minutes, and you should try to get into every gap and hit every tooth as you go along. Start with the fronts, then the tops, then the backs and work in sections, so you know you haven’t missed anything.

As well as brushing, flossing is important. Floss every day to remove hard to reach food remnants from between your teeth. It may not sound too pleasant, but if it saves your tooth from becoming damaged or even falling out, then it is definitely worth it.

Limit Acidic Drinks
Acid can do a lot of damage to teeth, and it is found in many different drinks, for example. The acid softens the teeth and even dissolves the enamel, and this means the teeth can become full of holes, or even break a lot more easily. If you do have acidic drinks such as fruit juices, cordials, and soft drinks, try to brush your teeth soon after drinking them whenever possible, to limit the damage.

Limit Sugary Foods
Acid is a big problem, but so is sugar. In fact, the bacteria that live in plaque changes the chemical make up of the sugar into acid, and the result is the same as that mentioned above. Again, cutting down on these foods is the ideal solution, but additional tooth brushing will also help. Alternatively, if you can’t brush your teeth, chewing sugar-free gum can also be a good idea.

See Your Dentist
Above all, it’s important that you see your dentist on a regular basis, at least every two years, but ideally, more often than that. Many people choose to visit every six months to ensure that any problems are picked up right away. Checkups are important, but if you suffer any pain in between times, you should also go and get it looked into, just in case there is something serious happening.

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