Healthy teeth do not mean shining white teeth, but so much more. Poor oral hygiene can lead not only to tooth decay but also to serious health conditions linked to the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, even diabetes. For that reason, taking care of oral hygiene is an essential step to maintain teeth health properly and your general health condition too. For that reason, we decided to answer some of the most frequently asked questions when it comes to oral health and hygiene. S
o, if you want to know more about brushing and flossing enough to keep your teeth and oral microbiota healthy and how you can improve oral hygiene, stay tuned cause we will explain everything in detail.
Oral microbiota, the first step to your teeth health maintenance
The oral cavity presents a complex environment where many things can easily go wrong. Gum, saliva, teeth, biofilm, gingiva, throat, tongue, and lips are home to millions of different microbial species, viruses, and bacteria, both good and bad. However, once this balance is disrupted and bad bacteria start to increase, the problems start to arise. Unbalance in a number of some of the most common types of bacteria which are present in our oral cavity can be the cause of severe infections and disrupt microflora due to poor oral hygiene. Here is how disrupted bacteria balance can influence health condition:
- Streptococcus – infection of the throat,
- Prevotella – anaerobic infections of the respiratory tract,
- Haemophilus – pneumonia, meningitis, ear and bloodstream infections.
- Rothia – bloodstream infection, gut translocation, catheter-related infections.
- Veillonela – chronic respiratory infections.
Microbiotas balance can be easily altered and disrupted by multiple factors such as a diet rich in sugars and snacks, smoking, alcohol, usage of antibiotics, or pregnancy, that influence increase of harmful bacteria that further lead to bad breath, plaque, and oral infectious diseases such as dental caries or gingivitis. So, in the case of absence of regular mouth care, receding gums, tooth mobility, and tooth loss is something that easily can happen and cause multiple inconveniences. In order to prevent those, we present you with eight essential considerations to keep your teeth healthy and get a perfect smile.
#1: Choose the right type of a toothbrush
Found yourself in front of a toothbrush rack and don’t know how to choose one among hundreds of possibilities? Should you go for the most expensive one, the hard toothbrush, since you believe it will help you clean your teeth better, or an electrical one? Since there are so many of them and people don’t exactly understand how to recognize the differences, they usually make decisions based on the price, colour, or material. And the final choice is usually wrong.
The most secure way to choose the right toothbrush is to consult with your dentist, who will tell you what type you need to keep your teeth safe from too hard brushing that can cause small tooth damages and lead to further inconveniences. Some general dentists’ recommendation would be to use soft bristle toothbrushes since medium or hard ones can take away the gum tissue and create little notches on the tooth, which makes your teeth look longer and impact the loss of natural tooth structure.
A good choice can be an electric toothbrush, especially for people who have problems with gums. By producing gentle vibrations, electric toothbrushes provide users not only with effective cleaning possibilities but gum massages that have a positive influence on gum’s health.
#2: Clean your teeth regularly
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day, and preferably after every meal, is something you shouldn’t miss to do. Still, you should know that brushing can be effective only if you do it properly, meaning you won’t be too aggressive while doing it, or doing it too short, or selectively. The process of brushing should take no less than three minutes, and also using the right technique.
The majority of people only make back and forth motions, while the right technique implies using those but circular motions too, so you can be sure you’ve cleaned your gums also. The next step is using a flicking motion that will provide you taking away all the debris you’ve just taken of your teeth and gums. Also, you don’t want to miss the inside part of your front teeth, so make sure to insert your toothbrush a little bit more vertically angled and clean them using circular motions. If you think you’re not going to be that dedicated but still crave good hygiene, then consider using an electric toothbrush that will make the whole process much easier.
#3: Flossing your teeth is another option to keep them clean
Regular flossing helps you remove plaque and food in between your teeth, which is almost impossible to attain, no matter what type of toothbrush or brushing technique you use. This technique is especially recommended for people with densely spaced teeth, so make sure to floss your teeth at least once a day.
#4: Clean your tongue
Remember we mentioned the tongue is also a part of your cavity’s microbiota? Well, this means you will have to take care of it, too. During the day your tongue accumulates hundreds of things, including everything from food particles to dead cells, and bacteria. If all you’re doing is brushing your tongue while you clean your teeth, unfortunately, this is not the right solution. Even more, this is wrong because the only thing you achieve is you spread the bacteria all around. So, if you want to properly clean your tongue, then using a tongue scraper every night before you go to bed will be the only right option to do it.
#5: Try using a mouthwash
According to a recent study, using a mouthwash can help you prevent gingivitis and plaque, especially those containing chlorhexidine, which has antibacterial characteristics. Using mouthwash will help you decrease the acid percentage in your mouth, and will also disinfect all hard-to-reach areas and additionally mineralize your teeth. And of course, if you’re not sure what mouthwash to use, definitely consult your dentist about it.
#6: Choose the right toothpaste
Similar to toothbrushes, choosing the right toothpaste can be really hard once you face limitless product options. Again, consultation with your dentist is the best solution that will save you a lot of time and positively influence your teeth’ health.
However, when buying toothpaste, don’t forget to check the drug facts label where all active ingredients are listed. This is important because it will help you determine what type of fluoride is used, which is essential for killing bacteria, acid cavity-fighting, teeth strengthening, gingivitis, and sensitivity-related problems.
#7: Take care of your diet
Consuming too much sugar will not only negatively impact your weight, immune system, and pH value in an organism but will also negatively affect your teeth’ health. Diets rich in sugar cause an explosion of bacteria that uses sugar as a molecular building block and energy source, meaning you help them to grow and disrupt the microbiota balance in your mouth. Although human teeth are naturally protected by enamel, once those bacteria start to produce too much acid, the shield degrades, rejecting its calcium minerals and making a path for bacteria that cause tooth infection. So, in case you haven’t seen your dentist lately who could prescribe you the right treatment, it may require removal.
So, the only right prevention for these problems is regulating your diet, meaning you will use more proteins, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, non-dairy milk, and food low in fats.
#8: Visit your dentist regularly
Although many people delay going to the dentist, visiting your dental clinic at least twice a year is of essential importance for preventing any teeth-related problems that can cause some severe infections or, worse, tooth removal. Regular check-ups and tartar cleaning can save you from many emergency cases, painful procedures, and inconveniences overall. So, in case you haven’t seen your dentist, consider scheduling an examination and check the condition of your teeth. And, don’t forget to perform daily tooth care routines since this is the crucial step for keeping your teeth healthy.
Good dental care practice is essential for the maintenance of your teeth health
Teeth care lasts for all life. Don’t forget that good teeth health building begins even in the prenatal period, while an expectant mother is taking additional vitamin supplements in order to ensure strong and healthy teeth for her baby. The care should also take part in childhood, although the children usually need parents’ support, remember that good habits are acquired easiest in the earliest childhood. Though the teeth care practices become more complicated during the years, require a lot of time, and depend on a lifestyle, still there is always a way of keeping your teeth in good condition even if your genetics don’t support your endeavours. So, make sure your daily routines will be performed regularly, and plan your visits to the dentist before the problem occurs, and your teeth and mouth will be perfectly protected.
