Oral Hygiene: Best Practices

Oral hygiene is the first line of preventive dentistry. Typically, excellent oral hygiene involves keeping your teeth, gums, tongue, and mouth clean. It ensures you enjoy a lifetime of a healthy, fully functional, and beautiful smile. Similarly, proper oral hygiene significantly reduces your risk of developing oral problems such as gum disease, bad breath, cavities, tooth decay, and oral cancer.

Importance of Dental care

It’s also worth noting that oral health care plays a key role in your overall well-being. For instance, oral bacterial infections can spread through the bloodstream to vital body parts like the brain, respiratory, and cardiovascular systems. It increases your risk of developing chronic health conditions like heart disease, stroke, brain damage, pneumonia, rheumatoid arthritis, endocarditis, pregnancy complications, and diabetes.

Conversely, it’s worth mentioning that certain health conditions can increase your risk of developing oral problems such as dry mouth, decay, and gum disease. These include diabetes, HIV/AIDs, osteoporosis, and Alzheimer’s. If you have these conditions, ensure you control them to maintain a healthy mouth and body.

Signs of Poor Dental Hygiene

Several signs can indicate poor oral hygiene. These signs commonly indicate underlying oral conditions like tooth decay and gum disease. Seek dental treatment if you have the following symptoms:

• Persistent toothache or sensitivity
• Bleeding gums
• Sore, swollen, red, or sensitive gums
• Chronic bad breath
• Loose or falling teeth
• Receding gums
• Mouth sores that won’t go away
• Swelling of the face or jaw
• Dental abscess
• Cavities and tooth decay

Tips to Improve Your Oral Hygiene

Below are oral hygiene tips for maintaining a healthy and beautiful smile:

• Brush at least twice daily

Small particles of these substances get stuck in the mouth when you eat or drink. Cleaning your teeth daily and preferably after meals helps to remove food debris trapped in the mouth.

Similarly, your mouth contains bacteria, germs, and acids. Brushing is essential to eliminate these bacteria and prevent oral infections.

When you don’t brush, food debris combines with these bacteria to form bacterial plaque and tartar, increasing the chance of gum disease and tooth decay.

Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to brush your teeth, tongue, gums, and mouth gently but thoroughly. Hold a toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Brush back and forth on the inside, outside, and chewing surfaces.

Aggressive brushing and abrasive oral products can erode the teeth and irritate the gums, causing cavities and gum disease.

• Use fluoride-based toothpaste

Your teeth naturally contain minerals like calcium, fluoride, and phosphorous that help them maintain a strong structure. Over time, these minerals can break down, leaving your teeth vulnerable to bacterial attacks. Using fluoride-based toothpaste helps remineralize your teeth and strengthen them against cavities and decay.

• Floss daily

Food debris can easily get trapped between teeth, especially if you have crooked or overcrowded teeth. Even thorough brushing can be difficult to clean deep spaces between teeth.

Flossing your teeth will help remove any trapped debris, significantly reducing your risk of plaque development and oral infections like cavities and gum disease. Please note that water flossing might not be sufficient to floss your teeth thoroughly. Be sure to use traditional dental floss to remove food caught between teeth.

• Schedule routine dental check-ups and cleanings

With proper brushing and flossing, visit our dental office near you for routine dental check-ups and cleanings. They are essential to remove bacterial tartar and plaque buildup in the mouth. Experts recommend having at least two dental cleanings and exams per year.

• Avoid tobacco products

Smoking increases your risk of bacterial plaque and tartar. Tobacco use is a key risk factor for serious oral conditions like gum disease and oral cancer. Quitting tobacco can help you care for your smile better.

Final Verdict

To help you care for your smile better, consult your dentist about quality, safe, personalized, and FDA-approved oral hygiene products like toothpaste, toothbrush, and rinses.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Do you need specialty dental care in Beverly, MA? Schedule an appointment with the dentist of Beverly Dental Group to book your appointment.