Busy lives and covid leaves the room to ignore basic hygiene rules like oral care. As the world is opening up and offices are starting up again, people are meeting their friends again and making plans for outings. What would the worst thing in this situation be? Having plaque, cavities or worse leading to an emergency dentist visit would surely put a damper here.
Taking care of teeth as they should be, is a lifelong commitment. Even if there are no visible issues and the dentist is saying everything is fine, one must take proper steps to take care of their tooth. Dental students enrolled in top universities and colleges like Mansarovar Dental learn oral health tips during the duration of the course. Explore there dentistry courses here. These tips must be learned by everyone. Stated below are some good oral care tips as recommended by dentists themselves.
Practice these tips frequently to curb oral health related issues. However, adapting them on a day-to-day basis can bring significant changes.
This golden role has been reiterated to us countless times by our parents. For good reason too. Just brushing once a day is not enough. Brushing the first time in the morning is good to give a minty start to the day and wash away the acids that accumulated over the night. As the day progresses, with every meal, there is food that gets stuck in our teeth along with germs and plaque as well. If this is left to stew on our teeth over the night, it will lead to much damage like cavities. Take a couple of minutes and include brushing your teeth in the night routine. Extra points for brushing after each meal as well.
Brushing just for the sake of it and going through the movements is not enough. One might just as well skip brushing if it is not done properly. As per dentists, the ideal time to brush teeth is two minutes. Broken down, it would amount to thirty seconds for each side of the mouth. Take it is as a mini-meditation session and count down the seconds when brushing.
Alternatively, many electric toothbrushes today have a set timer in them. It will buzz as the thirty seconds are up to switch sides.
Also Read: Teeth turning yellow? Know the reasons and cure.
One of the best tips for healthy teeth and gums is to not brush too aggressively. Not only will this affect the gums leading to bleeding, bruising and gum receding but it will also damage the teeth. Regularly brushing teeth with too much unnecessary force will wear out the enamel. Over time, the teeth will become sensitive and will require more care. For a manual toothbrush, go back and forth or in circular motions, if recommended by the dentist. In the case of an electric toothbrush, let the brush glide over the tooth slowly.
The Indian population had little to no knowledge of the benefits of flossing, growing up. However, it is changing now, particularly among the urban population. Flossing will take up extra time in the routine but if done regularly, will have benefits for a long time like fewer cavities and also preventing gum disease by stimulating the gum line. Look for the right type of floss that works best from waxed and un-waxed floss or plastic floss. With a bit more budget, there are water picks as well for the same purpose. Dentists recommend flossing at least once a day, either in the morning or at the night.
If Indians were not aware much about flossing, the one oral hygiene tips that most did follow religiously, as kids and adults, was cleaning the tongue. Even Ayurveda has Jiwah Prakshalan which recommends cleaning the tongue with the help of a tool to remove debris and germs. In the market today, there are plastic and metal u-shaped tongue scrappers that one can consider purchasing. As with brushing, go slow and use gentle strokes during this process. Removal of plaque from the tongue will prevent oral degradation. Periodontal diseases can also be avoided with regular cleaning of the tongue. One of the immediate and rewarding benefits is that bad breath is removed because the surface germs are gone.
Another healthy teeth tips is to include mouthwash in the routine. After brushing, flossing, cleaning the tongue, one must finish off with a swish of a good mouthwash. Mouthwash will remove any leftover acid, food particles from the hard to reach spots and also help with re-mineralizing of the teeth. Be careful of the ingredients of the mouthwash and opt for a dentist recommended mouthwash only. Read and follow the chosen mouthwash’s instructions carefully. Most will recommend waiting for 30 minutes after using the mouthwash to make sure the mouthwash continues to work.
Another part of overall oral health care is paying attention to the types of foods that one eats. As a rule, try to avoid sugary and acidic foods. While indulging in all the favorite foods once in a while is okay but regularly eating them will cause more harm than good. Sugar if left on the teeth, will turn into an acid which will eat away and erode them. Cavities soon follow after acids. Acidic drinks like tea, certain fruit, and also coffee can cause damage. No person can completely cut off these foods and drinks but try to limit them as much as possible.
Dentist visits are not only a burden on the wallet but also can cause anxiety for people who get easily nervous. When life gets busy often we tend to visit the dentist only when something goes wrong. Thorough oral health care by brushing, flossing, tongue scrapping-etc is not enough. Visit the dentists a couple of times a year for cleanings and general checkups. The dentist will treat any existing issues but also catch cavities and plaque early and prevent their spread. Understandably, this is an expensive process but many health insurances do cover dentist visits and checkups too.
Dental visits and treatments are a nightmare for many people, children, and adults alike. Good oral health care extends beyond just brushing the teeth and being done with it. Before the next dentist make sure to pick up some of the tips mentioned here and impress the dentist with healthy teeth.
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