Is there an ideal oral care routine out there to follow? The dentist will always recommend certain steps to follow for an oral care routine. Although, how your oral care routine performs depends on how well you carry it out. The responsibility lies with you to look after your teeth, with the dentist providing the key steps so your teeth and gums remain healthy.
Everyone knows that brushing your teeth twice a day is important, but the ideal oral care routine is more than this. Looking after your mouth requires you to keep it clean at all times and to be conscious when you use it for overall functioning such as biting and talking.
If you don’t look after your teeth, you’re potentially introducing harmful bacteria inside the mouth, which can lead to adverse health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, gum disease, stroke and diabetes. What are the causes of these conditions? It’s what you feed your mouth and how well you keep your mouth clean.
Follow these key steps in your oral care routine for a happier and healthier mouth.
Use A Soft-Bristle Brush And Use It Gently
If you’re not already, you must use a soft-bristle brush to protect your teeth from chipping and cracking. If you’re thinking that brushing hard on the teeth with a hard-bristle brush will keep your teeth healthy, this isn’t true. The dentist will always recommend to gently brush your teeth in circular strokes with a soft-bristle brush. Brushing vigorously isn’t good for your gums either because they will become irritated and eventually recede. Use gentle pressure on your teeth for better results.
Perform Flossing After Brushing
After brushing your teeth, make sure you floss around your teeth and gums to remove any food debris that your toothbrush cannot reach. Sometimes, food debris can also become stuck in between teeth, and flossing through the gaps is the recommended solution for it. You may also consider flossing teeth after a meal during the day as well. When food debris remains in the mouth without you removing it, it can lead to plaque build-up, a sticky substance that forms on teeth, indicating the first initial signs of tooth decay.
Eat Calcium-Rich Foods And Reduce Sugar Intake
The key property that keeps your teeth clean is your enamel, and remineralizing your enamel is important so that your smile stays shining for longer. Therefore, consider eating calcium-rich foods as part of your overall diet. Foods such as dairy (milk, cheese, yoghurt), green and leafy vegetables, fish, soya and tofu contain rich sources of calcium. Do not counter this with consuming sugars regularly. Sugar is bad for your teeth and can rapidly degrade your smile through tooth decay.
Regularly Wash Your Toothbrush
Simply rinsing your toothbrush after use isn’t enough. Ensure that the bristles are cleaned regularly because the bristles accumulate millions of bacteria when brushing teeth, and you don’t want the same bacteria to be placed on your teeth when brushing the next day. Run hot water over your toothbrush before and after its use, which is the basic and most effective method to clean your toothbrush.
Rinse Your Mouth With Mouthwash
When brushing and flossing your teeth, although you may think these steps are good enough as part of your oral care routine, but rinsing your mouth with antimicrobial mouthwash will kill bacteria and reduce the chances of plaque build-up. Swirl your mouth with mouthwash for at least 30 seconds after brushing and flossing. This also gives you fresher breath throughout the day.
To Conclude…
Are you visiting the dentist regularly? Although performing these steps for a strong oral care routine is important, visiting the dentist every six months is equally as important. If you’ll be visiting the dentist for the first time, there is no need to panic. The dentist is always at hand to recommend the ideal steps for a strong oral care routine and support you within your dental journey.
Although, these oral care routine steps should be the basic steps you should always follow for your teeth to shine for longer. There is no substitute for a strong oral care routine, and you will appreciate that with a strong oral care routine, you will be kept clear from any potential adverse health conditions that owe to not looking after your oral health.
If you’re seeking support with your oral care routine, look no further than at Quakers Hill! We are more than motivated to transform your oral health and help you achieve your dental goals. Contact us here to book your appointment.