A clean and fresh-smelling mouth is often a very attractive one as well. Good oral hygiene is essential for ensuring that your smile is as pleasant as it can possibly be. More importantly, it’s also a vital part of preserving the natural tooth structures, keeping your gums in optimal condition and maintaining good overall health.
Use a Soft-Bristled Tooth Brush
Your gums need a smooth, clean surface to adhere to. If you’re constantly scrubbing away at your teeth with a hard-bristled toothbrush, you’re probably missing the trapped plaque and tartar that has collected right at the gum line. Make sure that your toothbrush bristles are soft enough for gently massaging the gums and polishing this area each time you brush.
Also, leave tooth whitening to the professionals and avoid brightening toothpastes with harsh, abrasive ingredients that soften the enamel and leave your gums feeling irritated and dry. Brushing with the right equipment will give you the ability to comfortably and thoroughly clean all sides of the teeth without subjecting the soft tissues in your mouth to any exorbitant amount of trauma.
Be Mindful of the Natural pH Balance in Your Mouth
A highly acidic mouth is incredibly prone to tooth decay. This is the type of environment that harmful bacteria love to live in and thus, if you eat a lot of acidic foods, use a lot of acidic oral care products or regularly neglect one or more areas of your oral hygiene, bacteria and the cavities these organisms cause will flourish.
One easy way to instantly restore pH balance to the mouth interior is by using warm water and baking soda to make a simple mouthwash. You may want to swirl this around your mouth for one to two minutes after brushing each night in order to minimize bacterial activity while you sleep.
Choose Your Foods and Beverages Wisely
It’s important for consumers to always be cognizant of how their food choices impact both their oral health and their requirements for oral care. If you eat a lot of refined white sugars and starches, this is going to create the type of environment that supports cavity-causing bacteria. More importantly, sugary foods and beverages stick to the teeth in a way that fresh, natural and unrefined foods do not. When you eat these things, always try to brush your teeth right away.
Floss Twice Each Day
Some people only remember to floss their teeth when they’ve gotten something very large and noticeable stuck between them. You should be flossing your teeth each and every day, at least twice. Flossing removes plaque and food particles that brushing alone cannot. It also stimulates the gums and promotes increased blood circulation in these tissues for improved oxygen and nutrient delivery.
Learn More About Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene
If you have any questions about the best way to care for your oral hygiene, talk to Dr. Ragan at Ragan Orthodontics. With three offices in the Dallas area, we are happy to give you the best advice when it comes to a great smile! Contact us today to schedule your appointment.