Dental Hygiene Basics

Most people hate going to the dentist.  Maybe this includes you?

If you want to avoid having more visits than your annual cleaning and checkup, you’ll benefit by knowing a little more about dental hygiene.

One of the best and most obvious things you can do to for your dental hygiene is to make sure that your teeth are as clean as possible at all times.

You should first flush your mouth with water and then brush your teeth after every meal to get rid of additional debris that may be left behind from your food.

And you should make sure that you floss at once a day to remove the sticky plaque that toothbrushes leave behind.

Don’t forget to brush your tongue, cheeks, gums and roof of your mouth. After all, disease-causing bacteria live there too!

Antibacterial mouthwashes (go with the alcohol-free types) will also reduce the number of germs in your mouth that can cause cavities, gum disease and halitosis.

So, using these daily can help to prevent some serious dental health problems in the future.

You can also improve your dental hygiene habits by paying special attention to the foods you eat.

If you want whiter teeth, try snacking on walnuts a few times a week. These nuts have compounds that will improve your breath and give you a brighter smile in just a few weeks.

Eating the right types of fruits and vegetables can also help when it comes to dental hygiene.

Chewing raw veggies like carrots and broccoli will also dislodge plaque that is present in the mouth – like a natural toothbrush.

And chewing fresh parsley after meals will freshen your breath and improve gum health.

Before you start taking any new medications, you should talk to your physician about how the medicine will affect your dental hygiene, since some medicines will contain ingredients that can stain your teeth and affect the chemical balance of your mouth.

If you are taking any type of hormonal therapies, such as birth control pills or supplements to regulate the amount of estrogen in your body, talk to your OBGYN to determine whether or not you’ll need to take special care in your dental hygiene regimen to protect your teeth and gums.

Of course, practicing healthy habits such as creating a plan to stop smoking, or staying away from drinks that will stain your teeth, such as red wine, coffee or tea will help you to maintain your healthy smile as well.

If you want to know more about how you can ensure the health of your teeth in the future, read our other articles on periodontics or log onto sites like www.about.com or www.kp.org for more great information.