Maintaining healthy habits when it comes to taking care of your teeth is absolutely necessary. We often only think about the short-term consequences of our actions, which leads to poor dental health from accumulated lack of care in the long run. Therefore, greater awareness of the long-term disadvantages of poor oral health can help people make smarter choices in the present and avoid costly visits to the dentist.
Bad oral hygiene leads to plaque, which accumulates around your teeth and gums, leading to inflammation of the gums. This can be very painful. Another effect of plaque is tooth decay, which can worsen over time and result in the need for dentures.
You can evaluate your dental health by a number of methods. Although it is difficult to be certain about your symptoms, a visit a dentist for a dental health check is key. For instance, you should make sure your gums are pink, which indicates that they are healthy. Furthermore, they should not bleed when you floss or brush your teeth. You should not be suffering from bad breath at all times. Finally, your teeth should not only feel, but look clean as well.
Having preventive oral care measures takes time to begin feeling natural to you. Therefore, follow these steps without hurrying through them, and remain committed to the whole process keeping the long-term benefits in mind.
You must brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day. Make sure your brush reaches all sides of all teeth, in a gentle circular manner. At night, after brushing, you must floss your teeth properly, at least once a day. The floss string should reach all your teeth, and it should follow the tooth line so that your gums are not harmed. The space between the teeth and the gum should also be gently reached by the floss.
Additionally, after brushing and flossing, you can use a mouthwash and swish it in your mouth for at least thirty seconds before spitting it out. It is also very important to clean your tongue to prevent mucus and bacteria from building up and being detrimental to your teeth. To do so, you can put a little bit of toothpaste on your toothbrush and gently clean the tongue, or you can use dental floss to scrape bits off your tongue. You can also simply invest in a tongue cleaner and use it at least once a day, preferably before bedtime.
As a final piece of advice, even if you include the steps above into your daily oral health regimen, make sure you visit us at the intervals we recommend for a dental health check. For more information on the wide range of best available dental services at Quirke Dental Surgeons, please contact our friendly team at (051) 421453.
