If you’re like most people, Robina Dental oral hygiene is part of your daily routine. Brushing and flossing may seem mundane, but it’s crucial to keeping your smile and oral health healthy.
A healthy mouth allows you to speak clearly, eat, taste, and chew nutritious foods, and show your feelings through smiles. It also lets you enjoy life, and prevents tooth decay and gum disease.
However, if you’re not practicing good oral hygiene regularly, it can affect your entire health. For instance, gum disease can increase your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, as well as reduce your self-confidence and cause problems with speech.
How to Keep up Your Oral Hygiene
The best way to keep your teeth and gums healthy is to practice proper oral hygiene habits at home and visit your dentist regularly for dental checkups and cleanings. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and flossing once or twice a day helps remove plaque from the surface of your teeth and from between your teeth.
When you brush, be sure to use short, circular motions, aiming to get into all of your teeth and under your gum line. This will help to remove harmful bacteria and food particles from between the teeth and below the gum line, where they can start to develop into plaque.
It’s also important to rinse your mouth after eating, especially if you eat a lot of sugary, sticky and acidic foods. This can help to prevent bad breath and freshen your breath by removing food from the mouth and killing off bacteria.
You’ll also want to make sure you’re drinking plenty of water throughout the day. The more you drink, the more your body needs to produce saliva, which can help to wash away some of the food and debris that can build up between your teeth.
In addition to brushing, you can use antiseptic mouthwash to kill the bacteria that form plaque. Look for a product with the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance, which means it has been rigorously tested and proven to be effective at killing bacteria and protecting your teeth and gums.
Other strategies for maintaining good oral hygiene include avoiding tobacco products, such as cigarettes and cigars. Smoking can lead to gum disease, bad breath, and cancer of the mouth.
Another way to promote a healthy mouth is to eat a balanced diet and avoid foods that are high in sugar, such as sodas, candy and other sweets. Eating a balanced diet will also help you avoid other problems, such as weight gain and diabetes.
Using a night guard is also a good idea if you have bruxism, or teeth grinding during sleep. Teeth grinding can cause damage to the enamel on your teeth, which can then lead to tooth loss.
The link between oral health and overall health has been a growing research topic, and it’s clear that dental care is essential to overall health. For example, gum disease has been linked to a number of health issues, including stroke, diabetes and preterm labor.