For a good solid first impression, you need a radiant smile. And for a radiant smile, you need healthy teeth and gums. Poor dental hygiene leads up to a number of complications including diabetes and even heart disease. Improper attention to oral health can lead to infection, cavity or even loss of teeth, which in turn can make eating food painful and dent your confidence to flash a winning smile.
Here are five simple steps which can help you in maintaining proper dental hygiene.
• Brush Regularly: The importance of brushing your teeth twice a day every day cannot be stressed enough. It keeps your teeth clean and helps fight off germs. Try to use toothpaste with fluoride content. It helps reduce the effect of the harmful acids produced by the bacteria in your teeth and keeps your enamel strong. Changing from a regular toothbrush to an electric toothbrush is also an effective way. The electric toothbrush can reach places where you can’t reach manually and helps in proper blood circulation by massaging your gums.
• Floss Regularly: It is an effective and proven way to remove the little pieces of food stuck on the surface or between your teeth, places where your toothbrush cannot reach. It is generally advised to floss before you brush, though in many cases people tend to do the opposite. This is because if you floss before and brush next, it gives the fluoride in your toothpaste a chance to coat a greater area of your teeth.
• Use a tongue scrapper and mouthwash: Many people find the tongue scrapper a redundant expense. But, it helps keep your tongue clean and removes the bacteria responsible for the yellowish coating which leads to bad breath. The tongue scrapper should be cleaned thoroughly with hot water after every use. The use of mouthwash also goes a long way to kill the bacteria in your mouth, and prevent bad breath. But one should be particular about the alcohol content in the mouthwash as it can be seriously detrimental to one’s dental health.
• Keep away from sugar: Sugar is one of the main culprits resulting in tooth decay. A dentist will always advise keeping away from sugar for the sake of your teeth. So if you are consuming sweets, do it preferably at one go rather than popping them in every once in a while and coating your teeth with sugar. Always brush after taking sweets. Go for sugar-free chewing gum. It results in more saliva production which leads to the dilution of the acids in your mouth causing tooth decay.
• Go for a regular check-up: Go to a dentist for a routine check-up at least once every 3-4 months. They can keep you posted about the state of your oral health and give you valuable advice about what more you need to do. Not to mention, investing in regular check-ups is much less time, money, and energy-consuming than having to pay for the dental problems which arise later due to improper care. Patients with a European Health insurance Card (EHIC) can easily get their check-ups done by a licensed practitioner without any hassles.
Adhering to these simple steps will keep your teeth and gums in good shape and will allow you to smile your million-dollar smile without having to think twice about it.