Many people believe that mouthwash alone makes enough of a difference in keeping your mouth clean. The truth is, though, that brushing twice a day and flossing once a day are vital when it comes to getting all of the food and plaque out of your mouth. Without that physical cleaning, bacteria can develop over time.
If you notice a twinge of pain in one or more of your teeth, make an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. These twinges are indicative of a crack or chip in the enamel, and are more common in people where fluoridated water is not common. It is so important to address the problem quickly because even a repair will not restore the enamel to its original strength. The longer you wait, the more likely it will be that you need a root canal or further intervention.
Take care of your toothbrush. After you finish cleaning your teeth, make sure you clean your toothbrush, too. Simply wash it off with water and place it in a toothbrush holder so that it is standing up. Putting your toothbrush in a case is not advisable, because bacteria is more likely to grow that way.
Use a nonalcoholic, natural mouthwash daily. These are great for making your breath smell good without a burning sensation. Alcoholic mouthwash will dry out your mouth. Dry mouth ends up giving you very bad breath.
Your toothbrush should never have hard bristles. These actually damage your gums. Hard bristles can also wear down your tooth enamel. All this can cause additional teeth sensitivity; therefore, you should be using either a toothbrush with soft or medium bristles.
Everyone brushes their teeth, but not everyone brushes their tongues. Whenever you are brushing your teeth it is also important to brush your tongue as well. There are several different bacteria that thrive on your tongue so make sure you keep your entire mouth clean by scrubbing your tongue too.
If you are serious about dental hygiene, it is imperative that you stop smoking. Smoking is terrible for your teeth in many ways. It discolors them, and damages your gums too. When your gums don’t get adequate blood supply, you are susceptible to many different health problems such as gum disease.
Floss your teeth twice a day. Flossing is helpful in getting food and plaque out from between your teeth. When allowed to sit there, any foreign substance can cause decay in your teeth, and that is what causes cavities. Each morning and night after you brush, floss between every tooth.
You should act on your dentist’s recommendations for tooth extraction and/or antibiotics right away. Infections in the mouth can spread quickly to other parts of the body. If you have an infection, be sure to do what your dentist says to get rid of it, including taking a full course of antibiotics.
When you struggle with your breath, consider avoiding eating garlic and onions. If you can’t cut them from your diet, brushing your teeth and tongue after meals can help. Also use mouthwash and even gargle with it to clean out all the remnants left over from your meal, keeping your breath fresh.
To avoid serious and possible permanent damage to your teeth, never use them for any activity other than chewing the food that you eat. You run the risk of chipping or cracking your teeth whenever you use your teeth to open a package, pull something that is stuck or crack open nutshells.
Stop smoking. Smoking really does hurt your smile. You may already be aware that it discolors your teeth. Smoking also hinders blood flow to your gums. This can make it harder to detect gum disease. Smoking can cause major dental problems in the future by preventing early detection altogether.
If you are suffering from jaw pain, you might want to talk to your dentist because your wisdom teeth may be causing your pain. If it is your wisdom teeth, your dentist might recommend extraction. Most extractions can be performed very easily in your dentist’s office. If your wisdom tooth has caused an infection, however, it must be removed to guarantee that the infection does not get out of control.
You can keep your teeth cleaner and stronger by chewing sugar free gum. Gum chewing will produce more saliva inside your mouth. Saliva can stop plaque formation, which could turn into decay. The acids within the mouth are also neutralized by the gum so this also protects your teeth.
The bacteria that can grow in your mouth are too much for mouthwash alone to handle. Brushing and flossing are important parts of your dental hygiene routine, because they physically clean your teeth. You may hear that mouthwash alone is enough to do the job, but that simply is not the case.
