Here’s what you can do to keep teeth and gums in good shape

Teeth and gums are important. They help you to eat well, smile confidently, and talk fluently. Good dental hygiene can help to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Most people feel that brushing twice a day is enough to protect your teeth and gums. But honestly speaking, that is not enough. Not at all. There are several other things you need to do to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Read this post to get an idea of the best practices that can help to prevent dental diseases.

How to keep your teeth and gums in good condition

Proper dental care can help to avoid harmful cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease. Here are a few tips to keep your teeth and gums in good shape. 

1. Use the right technique: Brushing helps to remove plaque from your teeth and gums. But is effective only when you apply the right technique. Take your toothbrush and move it in small circular motions. Move your brush to clean the front, back and top part of each tooth. Dentists recommend people to brush for at least 2 to 3 minutes. This is the minimum amount of time required to cleanse various parts of each tooth.    

Don’t brush too hard or aggressively especially with a hard-bristled toothbrush. It can damage your gums and enamel. It can lead to gum erosion, tooth sensitivity, and cause irreparable damage to the enamel on the teeth.

Use a toothbrush with soft bristles if possible. In fact, change your toothbrush at the end of every quarter in a year.

2. Floss at least once a day: Flossing helps to eradicate food and plaque from your teeth. If they stay in your teeth and gums, be rest assured that tartar can develop inside your mouth. Tartar is a layer of bacteria that can be removed only by a dentist.

Always remember, tartar is dangerous. It can lead to gum disease. Never allow it to grow on your teeth and gums.

3. Visit your dentist periodically: Usually, people feel that visiting a dentist is just a waste of money. But that is such a misconception. A dentist uses various methods to clear away hardened tartar and plaque from your teeth. He checks if there is any sign of gum disease, cavities, dental problems or oral cancer.

If you’re a new mom and live in New Town, take him to a dental clinic in New Town Clinic in Kolkata and ask the dentist to get a handful of tips to take care of your child’s dental health.

4. Use a mouthwash regularly: Mouthwash offers several benefits. It contains chlorhexidine, which helps to fight plaque and gingivitis. Some mouthwashes contain essential oils, which are also good for dental health.

A mouthwash is not a substitute for brushing and flossing. But it can help to complement them. It can also help to fight bad breath. Use a good mouthwash before going for a job interview.

You can buy mouthwash online or from a drug store.

5. Avoid sugary foods and drinks: Sugar is bad for teeth. It is the favorite food of bacteria, which can aggravate tooth decay anytime.

Sugar leads to cavities and makes a bad impact on your dental health. Avoid eating sugary foods like candies, ice cream, desserts, and cold drinks. Some processed foods contain sugar. So try to avoid those foods also.

Keep your sugar intake below 10% of the daily calorie. If you can keep it below 5%, then that is even better. It would minimize the risk of cavities and gum disease.

Bread, chips, and pasta can lead to tooth decay. They stay on the tooth for a long time and break down into sugar later.

Change your diet if you love your teeth and body. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Drink water instead of cold drinks. Soda and cold drinks contain added sugar. So you should avoid them as soon as possible. Have cheese at lunch or breakfast. It helps to generate saliva and remove food particles from your mouth.

Vitamin D is good for teeth and bone. It helps to absorb calcium better. Sunlight is a good source of vitamin D. You can walk in the morning and let your body absorb plenty of sunlight. Otherwise, you can eat fish and egg yolks. You can also take cod liver oil capsules since they contain Vitamin D. 

A small but important tip

Fluoride is an important ingredient in mouthwash and toothpaste. Its main function is to prevent cavities. Dentists say that brushing and flossing would be of no use if you don’t use toothpaste or mouthwash containing fluoride. So whenever you’re going to buy toothpaste or mouthwash, check its composition minutely. See if it has fluoride in it.