A common piece of advice you’ll hear from your dentist is to brush and floss twice a day. This is vital for your overall oral health, but it’s only one part of the puzzle. There are several steps you can take to look after your teeth and gums, which your dentist will tell you to do anyway for your own good. Let’s take a look at some of the do’s and don’ts of at-home dental care to help you take care of your teeth until your next dental appointment.
Do:
1. Brush regularly
As any dentist will tell you, it’s best you brush twice a day, once in the morning, then again at night. Brushing twice removes the residue of your last meal and leaves your teeth and gums clean and healthy immediately after meals. If you’re already conscientious about brushing twice a day, you can also adjust your brushing technique to ensure you’re cleaning your teeth properly. The important thing is to brush for at least two minutes a session, and make sure you reach every surface on your teeth to ensure everything gets a thorough cleaning.
2. Eat healthy
Eating the right food isn’t just healthy for the body in general, it’s also good for your teeth and gums. Incorporate more teeth-friendly foods into your diet, like dairy products and crunchy vegetables. Dairy products are rich in protein, which your body needs to keep your teeth and bones strong and healthy. Meanwhile, crunchy vegetables need some effort to chew, which stimulates your jaws and keeps the jawbone healthy. While you’re at it, you can also include more water in your diet. Water helps wash away food residue after you’ve eaten, which helps preserve your teeth in between brushings.
3. Floss after brushing
After brushing, it’s also a good idea to floss between your teeth as well. Your toothbrush can’t always reach every spot, even if you brush for long enough and have good technique. That’s where floss comes in. Floss is designed to pass between your teeth and dislodge food residue your toothbrush can’t reach by itself. It can be a little awkward at first if you aren’t used to flossing, but stick to it and you’ll be dextrous at cleaning before your teeth in no time. It just takes a little practice, that’s all.
4. Use safe, dental-approved remedies
In case of toothaches or other ailments, it’s a good idea to call your dentist immediately. Until you can actually visit the clinic, your dentist will give you some advice to manage the pain and minimize further damage until your visit. Follow those instructions to take care of yourself until your dentist can have a look at you and tell you what to do next. When managing issues like bad breath, it’s also prudent to ensure the products and treatments you use are dentist-approved to verify that they’re safe to use and effective. Products like toothpaste and mouthwash often feature certifications that ensure they’re safe and certified so users can rest assured that they’re good for them.
Don’t:
1. Overbrush your teeth
Too much of a good thing is always bad for you, and that includes brushing your teeth. Dentists recommend brushing at most thrice a day to avoid overbrushing. When you overbrush, you can damage your teeth and gums. For example, overbrushing wears away the enamel, which ironically contributes to tooth decay and cavities rather than prevents them. Overbrushing can also cause damage to the gums and contribute to gum disease, so brush in moderation to avoid harming your teeth and gums.
2. Go for unhealthy foods
Avoiding high-sugar foods and drinks is a common piece of dental advice. Sugary foods heavily contribute to bacterial growth in your mouth that leads to tooth decay and cavities. Some common culprits include candy, coffee, soda, and wine. These foods are also likely to stain your teeth, which can cause discolouration over time and affect the look of your teeth. It’s also a good idea to avoid hard foods or using your teeth improperly, like crushing ice cubes and hard candy. This causes unnecessary strain and increases the likelihood of you cracking or chipping your teeth.
3. Misuse your teeth
For some people, their teeth serve as an extra pair of hands for tearing-related tasks, like tearing open plastic bags or bottles. This is a major no-no, especially if you’ve had dental implants installed. Your teeth have one job: chewing your food. Having them do other tasks, especially opening tough material like bottles, is a good way to damage your teeth and jaws. To avoid painful and costly injuries, it’s best to simply avoid any behaviour that puts your teeth at risk.
4. Experiment with questionable treatments
DIY methods are usually questionable, more so when your health is involved. Googling for toothache remedies typically gets you unreliable home remedies like stuffing cavities with garlic or gargling with vinegar. These home remedies are ineffective at best, harmful at worst. For your own health and safety, it’s best to skip these remedies and stick to those your dentist offers you.
The dentist isn’t the only time you can look after your oral health. You can still take steps to look after yourself at home and between visits to your dental clinic. Keep these dos and don’ts in mind to give yourself a guide to looking after your teeth and gums in between trips to the dentist.
Need a high-quality dentist to help you take care of your teeth? Then look no further than Township Dental Centre. We offer a wide range of services and patient-oriented care to look after your teeth and keep you anxiety-free while we do it. Give us a call now at (604) 533-8475 to schedule an appointment.