Many people overlook their oral hygiene, not realizing how severe the consequences can be. According to the CDC, an estimated 26% of adults in the U.S. have untreated cavities, while about 46% of adults above 30 years suffer from gum disease. These and other dental health issues are often caused by poor oral hygiene and thus can be easily avoided. So, if you’re looking to keep your teeth healthy and strong, below are top tips on dental hygiene made easy that you should observe.
Brush and Floss Your Teeth More Often
Are you looking for tips on dental hygiene made easy? Start brushing and flossing your teeth more regularly. This is one of the most over-emphasized oral hygiene advice. Unfortunately, it’s also often overlooked by many people.
According to survey findings published by StudyFinds, only about 54% of young men brush their teeth daily, and there are even fewer who floss — 30%. Unfortunately, this behavior is prevalent; according to DentistryIQ, only 70% of Americans brush their teeth the recommended two times a day. And regrettably, for people who don’t brush and floss as often, the consequences can be severe as they’re likely to suffer from cavities, gum disease, tooth loss, and other dental issues.
So, if you want optimal oral health, you should start brushing and flossing more often. According to the Journal of American Dental Association, you should brush at least twice daily, taking about two minutes each time. And for the best results, you should use a toothbrush with soft bristles and fluoride toothpaste. Lastly, you should use small circular strokes and cover all parts of your teeth.
Regular flossing is another vital dental care tip that can help improve your oral hygiene. That’s because it dislodges food particles, plaque, and bacteria between your teeth, which a toothbrush might not reach. Consequently, you can avoid many dental health problems, leading to strong and healthy teeth.
Observe Healthy Eating Habits
According to the Oral Health Foundation, diet, and dental health go hand in hand. This is understandable, given the vital role the teeth and mouth play in eating. So, if you’re looking for tips on dental hygiene made easy, start by observing a proper diet and healthy eating habits.
One of the top dental hygiene tips concerning diet is to avoid foods that can damage your teeth. A good example is sugary foods and drinks like candy, carbonated drinks, processed foods, and chewing gum (with sugar). According to Action on Sugar, the sugar content in these foods and beverages interacts with the oral bacteria, producing acid that erodes your enamel. This is believed to be the leading cause of tooth cavities, so you should avoid these foods.
However, some foods are good for your teeth and can help improve oral hygiene. A good example is cheese, milk, yogurt, and other dairy products, which contain minerals that fortify your teeth’s enamel. Crunch veggies and fruits like apples, carrots, and celery are also excellent for oral health as they help clean your teeth and stimulate saliva flow. For a more comprehensive list of foods to eat (or avoid), visit a family dental office, where you can receive more oral health nutrition advice.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol Consumption
Besides food, other substances can affect your oral hygiene when consumed. Two top culprits are smoking (cigarettes, tobacco, marijuana, etc.) and alcohol, which can have harmful side effects. Therefore, one of the top tips on dental hygiene made easy is to avoid these substances or limit your intake if you must consume them.
Smoking is one of the most detrimental habits that can affect your oral hygiene. According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, smoking encourages the growth of caries-causing bacteria in the mouth. It also leads to higher levels of dental plaque and promotes the production of acid that corrodes the teeth’s enamel.
Like smoking, alcohol consumption can harm your oral hygiene and health. According to the University of Pennsylvania, people who drink often, especially alcoholics, have higher levels of dental plaque in their mouths. As a result, they are likely to suffer from dental hygiene problems that can result in permanent tooth loss. In addition, drinking alcohol can decrease the flow of saliva, which plays a vital role in maintaining oral hygiene.
Besides smoking and alcohol consumption, other substances can affect your oral hygiene. For example, some medicines can erode your teeth’s enamel because of their high acidic content or by depleting the calcium in your body. And other drugs can lead to a dry mouth or exacerbate it. Therefore, you should talk to a local dental service for advice on any long-term medication you take.
Make Regular Dental Visits
Proper home oral care goes a long way toward keeping your teeth healthy. However, it might be insufficient, as you could still face oral health problems. Therefore, it’s a good idea to seek professional help from a dentist. This makes visiting a dental office regularly another top tip on dental hygiene made easy.
One of the top benefits of regular visits to a dentist is that they can help you develop and maintain an excellent oral hygiene routine. For example, during your visit, they’ll review your current oral hygiene habits and recommend how to improve them. In addition, you may be more likely to practice good oral hygiene when you know your dentist will ask about it during your regular appointments.
Another benefit of visiting a dentist office is that it helps with the early detection and intervention of oral health problems. This can include issues like tooth cavities and early-onset gum disease. By detecting and treating these issues early, your dentist ensures your teeth remain healthy and strong. And with your continued home-based oral hygiene, you can keep them that way for several years.
So, it would be best if you visited your dentist more often, given how vital such appointments are to your oral hygiene and health. According to Colgate, you should schedule a dental checkup at least twice yearly. However, you could also visit more often, especially if you’re suffering from or at a higher risk of health issues.
Seek Out Professional Dental Hygiene Solutions
According to the University of Florida Health, poor dental hygiene can cause severe health problems, including heart disease and Alzheimer’s. Therefore, another top tip on dental hygiene made easy is to combine your oral hygiene routine with the solutions offered by a professional. Doing this can help you maintain optimal oral health, thus helping to keep any potential illnesses at bay.
Dental cleaning is one of the top professional solutions you can hire for improved oral hygiene. Your dentist (or dental hygienist) can offer you two types of dental cleaning: regular and deep cleaning. Regular cleaning involves scraping plaque and tartar from your teeth and then cleaning your teeth with gritty toothpaste and floss.
On the other hand, deep dental cleaning involves the removal of plaque and tartar that’s hidden deep below your gum line. Both of these procedures help to remove large amounts of oral bacteria from your mouth. This leads to improved oral hygiene and health.
Besides dental cleaning, dentists offering the best teeth whitening services can also help you improve your oral hygiene. While these solutions are usually cosmetic, they also involve teeth cleaning to remove stains, plaque, and tartar. Therefore, besides offering you a bright, white smile, they’ll also help keep your teeth clean and healthy.
Seek Dental Treatment for Teeth Issues
Dental problems are common; according to WHO, nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide suffer from oral health diseases. Unfortunately, once these issues attack you, they can make it harder to keep your mouth clean and healthy. Therefore, another top tip on dental hygiene made easy is to seek prompt treatment for your teeth problems.
One of the top teeth issues you’re likely to experience is dental cavities, which result in tiny holes in your teeth. As a result, food particles and bacteria can get stuck in these small holes, where your toothbrush can’t reach them. This can worsen your cavities, leading to more tooth damage and, possibly, tooth loss. So, to avoid this, you should visit your dentist for necessary treatment, which can include a root canal procedure and dental fillings.
Besides cavities, crooked, misaligned, and overcrowded teeth are other common dental problems. And while these issues are usually cosmetic, they could also have far-reaching consequences on oral hygiene. For example, they can make removing food particles stuck in your teeth hard, leading to a buildup of oral bacteria. As a result, it’s vital to seek the necessary dental solutions, for example, braces to fix your teeth.
Lastly, gum disease is another top problem that can affect your oral hygiene and health. If untreated, the bacteria from the gum infection can spread to other gum tissues and the jawbone, rendering your oral hygiene practices ineffective. Therefore, getting prompt treatment for the disease is vital, as it will allow you to maintain a clean and healthy mouth.
Regularly Clean Your Dental Appliances
Dental appliances like Invisalign aligners can help you fix a wide array of oral issues, from misaligned to crooked, cracked, decaying, cracked, and chipped teeth. However, they can also affect oral hygiene, leading to more severe teeth problems. As a result, cleaning your appliances is another tip for dental hygiene made easy.
One of the top ways dental appliances can affect your oral hygiene is by trapping food particles and bacteria between your teeth. This then leads to a buildup of oral bacteria, dental plaque, and acid in your mouth, leading to problems such as tooth decay and enamel erosion. To avoid this, you should thoroughly clean removable appliances such as invisible braces and dentures before fitting them in your mouth.
Unfortunately, some dental appliances like braces are fixed, which can make cleaning your teeth harder. However, you can maintain optimal oral health hygiene by adjusting your teeth cleaning routines. For example, you can use a special toothbrush for cleaning between your teeth and braces. Other tips that can help include cleaning your teeth after every meal and using mouthwash.
On top of keeping your dental appliances clean at home, you should regularly visit your dentist. During these appointments, the dentist will review your oral hygiene. They’ll also offer you professional teeth cleaning services, which will help to keep your teeth healthy while averting problems with your dental appliances.
Take Care of Your Restored Teeth
Dental restoration is an excellent solution for fixing your damaged teeth. And according to a study published by the Nature Journal, most of these restorations can last up to 20 years. However, their longevity depends on how well you care for them, making it vital to practice good oral hygiene.
Another top reason to care for restored teeth is that it helps prevent catastrophic failure, which can lead to several oral health problems. For example, poor oral hygiene can cause your denture implant to shift out of position, causing damage to your gums and jawbone. Also, infection can develop between the implant and your gums, leading to gum disease on top of the implant failure.
Fortunately, several oral hygiene tips can help you to care for your restored teeth. Of course, regular brushing and flossing will help to maintain your new teeth for a long time. Another top tip is to avoid bad habits such as eating hard foods or grinding your teeth; these can weaken or damage your restored teeth.
Regularly visiting a dentist is another top tip for dental hygiene made easy where restored teeth are concerned. During these appointments, the dentist can offer solutions like dental cleaning and fluoride treatment to maintain the teeth. Lastly, you should have your restored teeth replaced if they start failing to prevent them from affecting other healthy teeth.
Keeping your teeth healthy is an essential element of your overall health. A regular visit to the dentist at least once a year (twice yearly for diabetics) is a very important part of dental health. Finding a food team of family dentists is a good thing, but does your dental team include at least one kid friendly dentist?
Ask Your Neighbors
If you find yourself asking, “where is there a kid friendly dentist near me?” you may not be alone. Talk to other Moms of kids who are the same age as yours. They may have suggestions about dentists who work with their children. You may need to ask specifically about finding a nearby pediatric dentist in order to get the right dentist for your child.
Search Until You Succeed
Still wondering “is there a kids dental office near me?” You might ask your child’s doctor, a school nurse or ask your family dentist. You can also go to TVs website of the Better Business Bureau to find a dental office without si
Keeping your teeth healthy seems like a simple enough job, but many people usually fail at it. Unfortunately, this often results in devastating oral health issues, which can be costly. Fortunately, the above tips on dental hygiene made easy can help you avert these problems, leading to healthy, strong, and beautiful teeth.