Maintaining a healthy mouth starts the moment you wake up and does not stop until you lay down for the night. The actions you take throughout the day can play a big role in how your body fights cavities and other oral diseases. However, keeping your mouth fighting the good fight can be as easy as:
1. Brushing regularly: The battle for a healthy smile starts with regular brushing. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised how many people don’t brush their teeth on a regular basis. You should be brushing every morning and every night. This regimen is your primary tool in guarding against cavities and oral diseases.
2. Avoiding soft drinks: You may think that because you drink a diet cola you are out of the woods when it comes to avoiding carbonated beverages. While soft drinks that don’t contain sugar are a good start, all colas contain some form of citric or phosphoric acids. These acids react with teeth and can slowly dissolve them. This is why your teeth can feel gritty after consuming a carbonated beverage. The best choices for drinks start with water and end with drinks high in acid and/or sugar.
3. Chewing sugarless gum: It is recommended that you brush your teeth after every meal, which includes snacking. This helps keep food particles from irritating your gums or promoting bacteria growth in your mouth. However, if you cannot brush your teeth, chewing sugarless gum can help. Chewing gum helps promote saliva production. This can act as a rinse for your teeth while the gum can aid in foreign food particle removal. If you can’t brush, chewing sugarless gum is a good second option.
4. Avoiding alcohol: Consuming alcohol in any form can have lasting impacts on your overall oral health. Alcohol can irritate your gums and tongue, increase your risk in tooth decay, and even increase the risk of cancer in your mouth. Remember that many mixed drinks are combined with colas or highly acidic fruit juices. Certain wines are even high in acidity. When in doubt, just skip over the alcohol.
5. Visiting your dentist regularly: You should be visiting your dentist at least twice a year. This is more than just a simple teeth cleaning. A dentist can spot early signs of trouble and get you taken care of the problem before the trouble escalates. This can save you money, time, and a whole lot of headaches. Wouldn’t you rather just need a simple filling over a root canal?
A healthy mouth starts with you, and the attention you put forth to your oral hygiene. A few minutes at home can save you hours in the dentist chair.