Healthy habits to take care of your teeth
Taking care of teeth is a simple process, and yet on so many occasions, you can go wrong. From selecting the wrong toothpaste to using an incorrect brushing technique, there are a variety of ways you can tweak the way you care for your teeth to ensure they are in good shape. These habits will help you along the way.
Floss
This is such an important step in any good oral hygiene routine, and yet, it is so often neglected! Flossing should not simply be something you do when you have extra time. Instead, you should make the time to floss your teeth once a day. The combination of brushing and flossing lowers the risk of gingivitis, a precursor to gum disease in which your gums are irritated, red, and swollen.
Switch your toothbrush
Have you been sick lately? Do you enjoy using a toothbrush with hard bristles? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, it’s time to toss your toothbrush and get a new one! Bacteria can linger on your toothbrush after you have been sick and can reinfect you. On the other hand, a hard-bristled toothbrush can actually damage your teeth! It is better to use a soft-bristled toothbrush. And contrary to what many people believe, these can indeed provide you with a sufficient clean.
Fix your technique
Effectively brushing your teeth do not come in the form of a quick scrub. To brush your teeth correctly, keep the brush at a 45-degree angle and scrub with alternating back and forth and rolling strokes.
Pick your times
“Brush your teeth morning and night.” “Brush your teeth after meals” While these are great pieces of advice, they are not 100% accurate! A new body of research suggests that brushing immediately after a meal—especially if what you ate was acidic—is actually doing more damage to your teeth. Brushing too soon can actually push the acid from the meal into your teeth. If you want to do a post-snack scrub, wait at least 30 minutes.
Adhering to these four habits can help you to keep your teeth healthy and maximise your oral hygiene routine.
Don’t forget to share this via Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and LinkedIn.
