Bad breath, yellowing teeth, scraping your tongue — the list of dental care habits and risks seem to go on forever. There is the brushing multiple times a day and of course the daily flossing rules, but do we really do all that we possibly can to have healthy teeth? Let’s explore some of the top dental care habits that you should be practicing as soon as possible.
Attend Checkups – The first and probably most important rule of thumb is to keep your regular dentist appointments. You should be going for a dental exam and checkup every six months. Cavities or even gum disease can occur suddenly because bacteria multiply swiftly.
Brush Properly – Most people know that you should be brushing twice a day, but do you follow the two-minute rule? Always be certain to brush your teeth two minutes, twice a day — no exceptions. Brushing at least twice a day is crucial to the foundation for healthy teeth.
Floss – Flossing is the next thing you should include in your daily teeth regimen. Because your toothbrush can only reach the front and back sides of your teeth, if you don’t floss, you’re neglecting cleaning the majority of your mouth! Fortunately, if you are incorporating flossing into your daily routine you’re cleaning in between and the sides of your teeth making it extremely difficult for bacteria to survive.
Just Add Water – Next, most important of our healthy teeth habits deals with the type of food and drink you are chewing and putting into your mouth. If you are a regular soda, coffee, or even tea drinker, cutting back your normal dose as well as using a straw regularly are both great dental care habits for healthy teeth. Drinking water as much as you can, and making it your main source of hydration, is absolutely the best choice you can make to improve your dental health. During meals, in between meals, and throughout your daily routine there should definitely be lots of water involved!
Brush Your Tongue – Finally, bacteria not only invades the gums and teeth, but also thrives on the tongue. It’s typically recommended that you brush your tongue after your teeth and brush in one direction. Tongue scrapers are available for this, but your toothbrush will also work just fine. If you aren’t regularly cleaning your tongue every time you brush your teeth and floss, then you will never be able to rid of your bad breath.
Make healthy teeth habits a part of your daily routine, and before you know it you’ll have the healthiest, brightest smile around!
