Caring for teeth and gums for the whole family is very important! Oral disease can cause discomfort, pain, and hamper your ability to eat and your self-confidence. Oral problems can also be expensive and complicated to treat.
Moreover, it is proven that an unhealthy mouth can interfere and affect other diseases in the body, for example heart disease. Follow these dental tips below to have strong teeth and gums for life.
- Reduce Foods and Drinks Containing Sugar
Sugary foods can cause decay in your teeth. It is best to avoid sugary snacks in between meals and limit your total intake of sugar. Try to finish your sugar-containing food at once if it is there on any occasion, rather than snacking on it frequently over a period of time.
- Maintain a healthy diet
Having a healthy and balanced diet of nutritious foods is important for your overall health and your oral health. Eat various foods from the five food groups each day: fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains and cereals, fish, lean meat, and eggs.
Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, or yoghurt, can provide the added benefit to help to strengthen your teeth and reduce the chance of decay. Ensure to have plain milk instead of flavoured milk that contains added sugar.
- Chew sugar-free gum
Chewing sugar-free gum at meal intervals can help to minimise the risk of decay by triggering saliva flow. It also helps to freshen your breath and can be a healthy alternative for avoidable snacking. Also, it can aid in stimulating saliva and increase comfort for individuals experiencing a dry mouth.
- Reduce Acidic Drinks
Be cautious of acidic drinks and foods such as soft drinks, sports drinks, fruit juice, and wine which result in erosion (dissolving of teeth). After consuming an acidic drink, rinse out soon afterwards with milk or plain water to neutralise the acid. Also, after having an acidic drink, avoid brushing for 30 minutes.
- Brush twice a day
It is important to brush teeth twice daily for the health of your gums and teeth. Ensure to use a soft-bristle toothbrush because harder bristles can really cause permanent damage to your gums and good teeth.
Use a toothpaste that contains fluoride (use a specially-designed low-fluoride children’s toothpaste for kids under 6 years old). Properly and completely brushing your teeth must take at least two minutes, so time yourself to check how much time you take! Spit out the toothpaste, however, do not rinse afterwards to keep the defence of the toothpaste in your mouth for longer.
- Floss Once a Day
Only brushing thoroughly is not enough as it only cleans about 60% of the tooth surfaces. You need to floss to clean the leftover areas properly. Flossing daily is essential to prevent decay in between your teeth and to prevent the occurrence of gum disease (gum inflammation causing loss of bone). Some individuals may use other cleaning aids to clean in between their teeth, like interproximal brushes. Your dentist will recommend them to you if they are suitable for you.
- Avoid Grinding Your Teeth
If you clench or grind your teeth while sleeping, it is recommended for you to get a custom-made device to wear on your teeth at night time called as nightguard or occlusal splint. A splint is like a mouthguard that is worn to prevent you from grinding your teeth less and putting cracks in them. If you have a lot of treated teeth, such as crowns, fillings, and veneers, a splint is recommended to improve the life of those restorations.
- QUIT SMOKING
Smoking has considerable effects on an individual’s oral health. It is a prime risk factor for developing periodontal disease (gum disease). If you continue smoking, it can also reduce the treatment’s success rate of periodontal disease. Moreover, smoking raises the possibility of developing oral cancer. It causes bad breath and can stain your teeth. If you really want to quit smoking, ask your dentist for resources and options to help achieve your goal.
- Visit For Dental Check Ups Regularly
Regular dental check ups are essential to maintain healthy teeth. A complete examination will include: periodontal (gum) assessment, oral cancer screening, decay detection, assessment for infection or other pathologies and more. Regular check ups help for early detection of dental issues, enabling your dentist to treat them before they become a major and expensive problem.
Bringing your children for routine check ups is also the best way to prevent kids developing a fear of the dentist. This will make them comfortable at the time of an emergency visit to a dentist. A dentist typically also performs a professional clean and scale at a routine check up to remove any build up of calculus (tartar) which is essential in maintaining healthy gums. X-rays are normally part of a routine examination and must be taken frequently to detect and diagnose dental issues.
Having a perfect smile makes you feel and look confident. Give us a call today to have a safe and pain-free treatment with us.