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Dental Hygiene Tips

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Preventing dental decay and gum disease all comes down to maintaining good oral hygiene.

These tips will help you on the pursuit of healthy teeth and gums. 

Use a Soft Bristle Brush

Many people believe that brushing their teeth using a medium or hard bristled toothbrush will give them a better clean. Unfortunately, this is not the case. These kinds of toothbrushes can actually damage your teeth! Instead, you should select a soft bristled toothbrush which can gently (yet effectively) clean your teeth without damaging the surface.

Two Minutes, Twice a Day

You should be brushing your teeth twice a day for approximately two minutes each time. Four minutes out of a twenty-four-hour day is not a lot of time in the bigger scheme of things. Use your two minutes brushing time to ensure that you are also reaching your back teeth. Brush in circular motions instead of scrubbing your teeth. Think of the idea of massaging your teeth rather than rigorously scouring them! When brushing your teeth, position the bristles at an angle of 45 degrees near the gum line. Both the gum line and the tooth surface should be in contact with the bristles.

Brush Your Tongue

The tongue covers a pretty large surface area of the mouth, and yet, is so often neglected when brushing. Just like your teeth, your tongue can have bacteria build up and this needs to be removed. When brushing your teeth, you should do so holistically and include cleaning your tongue and the roof of your mouth.

Flossing

Another neglected area of dental hygiene. Flossing is important as it removes plaque and bacteria from between your teeth. Believe it or not, cavities can indeed occur in this area. The best way to prevent this is by simply flossing your teeth at least once a day.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash is not a substitute to brushing your teeth, it is however a good “extra” to add into your brushing routine. Mouthwashes containing chlorine dioxide are very helpful because they help to kill and maintain the bacteria in your mouth. It can help maintain good breath as well as help maintain strong teeth.

Got Milk?

You need plenty of calcium for your teeth, in fact, Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary for maintaining the health of gums and teeth. You can get your daily calcium dose from drinking milk, fortified orange juice and eating yogurt, broccoli, cheese, and other dairy products.

Get the Professionals Involved

Scheduling a regular professional teeth cleaning and dentist appointment can help maintain the health of your teeth. Plaque build up can turn into tartar which is very difficult to remove. A dental hygienist will be able to remove this for you in a flash! Not only this, but any underlying issues can be detected and rectified with regular cleanings and dental appointments.