Six Tips For Keeping Your Oral Health In Check

Maintaining a bright smile can be akin to keeping your body in shape, and vice versa. Your body needs daily maintenance to stay healthy and in peak performance, and your mouth is no different. Brushing, flossing and using an oral mouth rinse every day can aid in preserving optimal oral hygiene for the long-run, and it can also preserve the appearance of a healthy smile, too.

However, with so much information available at our fingertips these days, where does one begin when they want to craft an oral hygiene maintenance plan of their own? Here, you’ll find six unique tips on how to keep up with your daily dental health.

1. Brushing Daily
We know that brushing your teeth at least twice daily is one of the most effective ways of keeping a healthy mouth, but did you know that there are other places you should be brushing in addition? Brushing your gums, tongue and the roof of your mouth will help keep harmful bacteria away from your teeth and out of your mouth, which will reduce the chances of cavities and decay.

2. Flossing Daily
Flossing on a regular basis is right up there with brushing, too. Dentists recommend that patients floss at least once per day – preferably after the last meal, but before your last brushing session – to ensure they are cleaning areas that could be unreached during normal brushing.

3. Restrict Soda And Alcohol Intake
Limiting the intake of sugary drinks such as iced coffee, soda, and energy drinks – as well as alcohol – can dramatically increase your oral hygiene. This is because the bacteria that live in your mouth prefers to feed off sugar and alcohol. When bacteria feed off food in our mouth, it releases an enamel-corroding acid which can eventually lead to cavities if it isn’t removed from the surface of our teeth.

If you can limit the food supply to the bacteria, you can limit the chances of developing cavities.

4. Incorporate Good Eating Habits
It’s never a bad idea to evaluate your eating regime, especially when it pertains to your oral health. Certain foods can support a healthier body, and that includes your mouth. Foods that contain vitamins such as vitamin C, D and K are key to promoting strong, healthy teeth for years to come.

Vegetables like broccoli and spinach contain vitamin C and D, and dairy products such as milk and cheese contain vitamin D. It is suggested that you include some type of dietary fat into your diet, as this macronutrient helps with the absorption of those essential vitamins.

5. Choosing The Right Tools
Having access to a proper toothbrush, toothpaste, and oral mouth rinse will play a crucial role in keeping your oral health in check. We recommend selecting a toothpaste that contains fluoride, as it has been shown to help strengthen enamel and prevent cavities.

Dentists sometimes recommend using a mouthwash that contains hydrogen peroxide for a handful of reasons. Hydrogen peroxide helps to whiten teeth, kill bacteria and can even help small wounds in your mouth from becoming infected.

6. Visit The Dentist Regularly
If this blog was listed from most important to least, then this tip would be at the top. Visiting the dentist twice a year or more can be thought of like taking your car to the dealership to perform preventative maintenance.

The more time you invest in preventative maintenance at the dentist, the healthier your mouth will be. Dentists can assess and negate any irregularities in dental health before they become a more serious issue.

Full Circle
We’ve selected six of the most popular dental hygiene tips for improved oral health, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t more. Having a conversation with your dentist on a regular basis will better educate you on how to properly take care of your mouth.

For more information on dental hygiene, please reach out to Swan Dental. Serving the Tucson, Arizona, region, Swan Dental is available for your dental needs.

Dr. Colby Echols, DDS
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Dr. Colby Echols received his Bachelor’s Degree in Spanish from Brigham Young University and his Doctorate of Dental Surgery in 2005 from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. He is a member of the American Dental Association, Arizona Dental Association, and Southern Arizona Dental Association.

Dr. Echols has years of experience performing general dentistry procedures, including fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns, bridges, implants, and cosmetic dentistry. His patients trust him to help them achieve the smile they love while building life-long relationships.