5 Dental Hygiene Tips for Healthy Teeth

You only get one set of adult teeth, and most older folks will tell you how much those teeth are missed when they are gone.

Regular visits to the dentist are an important part of dental care, but what can you do to clean and maintain your teeth on a daily basis?

Healthy teeth that can last a lifetime

These five easy tips can improve your life, save you money and keep your teeth looking good for a long time.

1. Check your cheeks

Is there any skin on the inside of your cheeks that feels course, bumpy or tough? While it is not a great danger in itself, damaged cheek tissue may be a sign that you are grinding your teeth at night and do not even know it.

Prolonged teeth grinding can lead to damaged teeth, tooth sensitivity, headaches, infection and sleep disruption. If you believe that you are grinding your teeth, it may be wise to get a silicone mouthguard to wear at night.

2. Floss first

You have probably heard this from your dentist at least once: “You are not flossing enough.”

However, did you know that the best time to floss is right before you brush? Many people floss after brushing, in their car or after a meal, and while those are not bad ideas, they are not as effective as they could be.

Recent studies show that flossing before brushing can significantly reduce plaque and that fluoride concentrations in the mouth were noticeably higher as well!

3. Drink more water

Water is not just great for staying hydrated or helping you lose weight, but it can actually improve your teeth too!

Drinking water right after you eat helps rinse out the leftover sugar and bacteria in your mouth. Drinking water with fluoride gives your teeth a nice recharge. It also keeps your mouth from becoming too dry, which can lead to all kinds of trouble down the road.

4. Change your toothbrush

We have all been guilty of neglecting our toothbrush, but using an old toothbrush is like cleaning your dishes with a dirty sponge.

Changing out your toothbrush at least three times a year is recommended, and it would not be a bad idea to occasionally give your toothbrush a soak in alcohol or sodium peroxide.

5. Be aware of your diet

Candy, sugar and coffee can be our enemies in the fight against tooth decay, but what foods are friendly to our teeth?

It turns out that dairy, vegetables and chicken are all fairly easy on your teeth and in fact, can help increase dental hygiene. Cheese, yogurt and milk, for instance, increase the amount of saliva in your mouth, which can create an inhospitable environment for harmful bacteria.

Dairy also contains calcium and other vitamins that help replenish your teeth.

Protect your teeth with good habits

Keep all these tips in mind as you go about your daily life, and remember that none of them are particularly hard to do and are much less expensive than a root canal or an abscess removal.

And of course, make sure you schedule regular visits to the dentist to let the professionals at Aesthetic Dentistry of Noe Valley help you keep your teeth healthy, happy and whole.

Related Posts

A Dentist In San Francisco Reveals 4 Everyday Oral Hygiene Tips

Oral hygiene is just as important as overall body hygiene is, and sometimes people aren’t aware that it is just as necessary to maintain — but with the help of a dentist in San Francisco, a person should be able to maintain good oral hygiene.In this article, we will go over a few tips for…

7 Things You Should Know About Over The Counter Oral Hygiene Product Active Ingredients

Triclosan Might be in Your Oral Hygiene ProductTriclosan is an antibacterial composite in cleaners, soaps, body washes and oral hygiene products of all sorts. While triclosan combats gingivitis, some people argue it might have negative health ramifications. There is some evidence triclosan can alter liver health. Others argue this antibacterial composite might disturb thyroid function.Abrasives…

The Benefits Of Regular Visits To A Preventative Dentist

Seeing a preventive dentist can help keep your teeth and gums healthy. Prevention is always better than extensive treatments, especially when it comes to dental health. This provider can perform treatments that can keep dental problems at bay. Here are some of the benefits that you can enjoy from visiting a preventive dentist for regular…

Preventive Dental Care - Tobacco Use Counseling

Tobacco use counseling has become an important component of preventive dental care. If you are addicted to cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco or any other form of tobacco, you can obtain meaningful assistance through tobacco use counseling. This unique approach to preventive dental care has helped countless individuals quit smoking and enjoy improved oral…


Related Posts

FAQs About Wisdom Teeth

FAQs About Wisdom Teeth

Dentists regularly field questions about wisdom teeth from patients and young patients’ parents. If you are approaching the age when extracting these teeth is common, you may be curious as well. There are a lot of reasons why dental professionals recommend removing these molars. As you understand more about these teeth, you may realize why…

Wisdom Teeth Extraction To Prevent Teeth Misalignment

Wisdom Teeth Extraction To Prevent Teeth Misalignment

There are numerous reasons why dental professionals recommend wisdom teeth extraction, and one is to prevent teeth misalignment. Wisdom teeth are the third molars located in the lower and upper parts of the jaw, behind the other molars on both sides. The teeth generally appear years after the other permanent teeth have come up. In…