The first thing that people notice is your smile. Keeping that smile as fresh and healthy as it can be isn’t just great for your social life, Oral Hygiene is also essential for your physical health! The mouth is one of our most important features, we use it to speak, eat, and express our emotions, so we need to see to Oral Hygiene that our mouth is healthy so our smiles stay happy! Here are some simple things you can do to make that happen!

Dental Visits – 

The old saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and in this case, that means the dentist! While it’s true that an apple is an excellent food that promotes Oral Hygiene, don’t make a habit of keeping away from your dentist! Regular visits to your friendly Burwood dentist will ensure that your mouth gets all the help it needs to do all the wonderful things it does!

Brush Your Teeth for Oral Hygiene – 

The food we eat leaves behind a residue even after we have swallowed that’s very difficult to see, a colorless, sticky film of plaque. Brushing your teeth regularly removes plaque before it has a chance to build up and cause serious problems like bad breath, gum, and tooth decay. 

Practicing good oral hygiene daily at home will prevent problems that could send you to the dental clinic more often than you might like! Here are some tips to make sure you get the most out of brushing your teeth:

  • Use fluoride toothpaste that protects your teeth from tooth decay (cavities) by strengthening the tooth’s enamel, the hard outer surface people see when they smile!
  • Brush every side of each tooth, don’t neglect the back!
  • Be sure to brush between the gums and teeth, it helps if you angle the bristles toward the gum-line for maximum penetration.
  • Use small, gentle, circular motions when brushing, don’t scrub back and forth with force.
  • Give your tongue a gentle brushing.
  • Be sure to replace your toothbrush when the bristles have become worn out.

Floss Your Teeth- 

Brushing isn’t enough, as it can’t reach all the trapped food particles and plaque that form in the narrow crevices between teeth. Plaque calcifies, growing harder until it forms a substance called calculus (also called tartar) that is highly irritating to the gums, making them turn red, swell, and bleed easily. 

Calculus can also cause the gum disease gingivitis, which can lead to even more serious conditions with unpleasant symptoms like sore, bleeding gums, painful chewing, and loose teeth. If left untreated this can even result in tooth loss! 

Cleaning between your teeth with dental floss in conjunction with regular cleaning at the dentist can prevent these ill effects from happening, so make flossing a regular part of your oral hygiene routine!

No Smoking – 

Smoking greatly increases the chance of gum disease and poses many, even more serious, health risks.

Eat Right – 

Consume a well-balanced diet low on sweets and sugary drinks.

The Australian Department Of Health website has more info regarding dental health that you may find helpful. Make sure to follow these recommended oral hygiene practices so you can keep your smile nice and bright!