5 Tips To Keep Your Teeth Healthy

Good oral hygiene is essential for good oral health. It helps to keep your teeth and gums healthy and prevent cavities, bad breath, and other dental problems. Here are the best practices that help maintain good oral health. 

• Brush your teeth regularly

Brushing your teeth regularly helps keep your mouth healthy. Plaque can easily become a problem in the mouth which can lead to cavities and gum disease if you don’t keep up with a good oral care regimen. We recommend brushing at least twice a day for two minutes each time. You should brush gently in circular motions to clean away plaque without damaging enamel.

• Floss every day

Brushing helps to remove plaque and bacteria from the surfaces of your teeth, but flossing is essential for getting rid of food particles and debris lodged between teeth. If you don’t floss, you’re missing a major portion of your tooth surfaces! There are a variety of different types of floss available – waxed, unwaxed, flavored, etc. You can use whichever you prefer the most. Make sure you use a clean section of floss as you move from tooth to tooth. Wrap the ends around your fingers and gently slide them up and down between each set of teeth. 

• Use a mouthwash

You should definitely be using mouthwash in addition to brushing and flossing every day. It can supplement your oral hygiene efforts, kill bacteria and freshen your breath. But don’t rely on it as a replacement for good daily habits! Using an alcohol-free mouthwash can help kill germs that cause cavities, as well as gingivitis, bad breath, and plaque buildup. Mouthwash also helps to control harmful bacteria in your mouth, which can help keep your breath fresh and gives you better overall oral health. If you use a mouthwash that contains fluoride, it can also help to strengthen your enamel. Since fluoride strengthens your tooth enamel, it can help to protect your teeth from the effects of acid erosion, which is what causes decay in teeth. 

• Visit your dentist regularly

One of the best things you can do for your teeth is to visit your dentist every six months for exams and cleanings. These visits give your dentist a chance to examine your teeth and gums and catch any problems before they become serious or painful.

At these appointments, we can also clean any plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth, which makes it harder for them to decay. And by performing an exam twice a year, we can keep your smile healthy and prevent minor issues from becoming major ones.

• Stop smoking

People who smoke are twice as likely to lose their teeth as non-smokers. Cigarettes contain thousands of chemicals, including tar and nicotine, that wreak havoc on your teeth. They can cause gum disease, tooth loss, mouth cancer, tooth discoloration, and stains on the enamel. When you stop smoking, your gums will begin to heal from years of damage. But don’t stop giving up cigarettes; try to eliminate other forms of tobacco as well. Using chewing tobacco or dipping snuff can be just as damaging as smoking cigarettes. So put down your pipe too! Not only are you getting healthier, but you’re also saving a fortune by not buying cigarettes anymore. Now that’s a smart decision!

To learn more about good oral care habits, call Oak Tree Dental Care at (206) 363-4300 or visit us at 10004 Aurora Ave N Suite 14, Seattle, WA 98133.