Practical Tips on How to Maintain Excellent Oral Health

You can ensure good oral health when you keep your mouth and teeth clean at all times. Ideally, you should brush your teeth at least thrice daily and floss regularly to get rid of food debris. Moreover, you should visit your dentist for expert advice on how you can prevent common oral problems including gum disease, tooth decay and halitosis.

What You Can Do to Maintain Oral Health

By following a healthy lifestyle and applying these tips, you can achieve excellent oral hygiene.

1. Consult your dentist regularly

Regular visits to your dentist and professional prophylaxis are excellent ways to prevent oral problems. Your dentist will also search for signs of dental cavities and diseases, since certain oral issues may lead to serious health concerns. For instance, untreated cavities may be quite painful and cause infections. Only a dentist who has the expertise and professional training can diagnose and find the ideal treatment to all types of oral health concerns.

2. Practice proper oral hygiene

You should consider using a soft-bristle toothbrush and brush your teeth twice or thrice daily with fluoride toothpaste. This way, you can remove bacteria and plaque that cause periodontal disease and cavities. Fluoride is effective in maintaining health teeth that are free from proximal caries.

3. Eat nutritious foods and follow a well-balanced diet

Healthy food can help you maintain overall health, since certain nutrients support strong bones and teeth. You may want to consider drinking fluoridated water occasionally, as this can help maintain oral health. However, you should keep in mind that too much fluoride in your drinking water could cause damages to your teeth. It is also ideal to avoid eating sugary foods such as sweets, rich cakes, and carbonated drinks that may cause dental problems.

Foods and Drinks that You Should Avoid

Aside from brushing your teeth, flossing, and visiting your dentist regularly, you should avoid certain foods and drinks that can lead to oral diseases. Individuals who drink alcohol are risk factors for throat and mouth cancers. Cigarette smoking is also detrimental to your oral health, as tobacco reduces the level of blood flow to your gums. When this occurs, your gums will not be able to receive the right amount of oxygen and nutrients that can prevent bacterial infection.

You should also avoid eating foods and other snacks that have high sugar content or starches. It is also ideal that you eat about five servings of fiber-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables that can stimulate salivary flow. This supports the re-mineralization of the surfaces of your teeth during the early phases of tooth decay.

Bottom Line

While the tooth enamel is considered as a hard substance, it is still prone to damages and decay. If the condition is left untreated or undetected, bacteria will continue to go deeper into your teeth. This will lead to serious pain, swelling and abscesses. You can avoid this problem and ensure the general health of your oral cavity by visiting your doctor and obtaining the right treatment for your dental problem.