Healthy teeth and gums are a central pillar to excellent overall health. For this reason, it is important to keep your teeth and gums in good condition for as long as you possibly can. Just because you age, this does not mean your teeth and gums should fail to serve you well. Fortunately, adopting good oral hygiene habits will help your teeth and gums stand the test of time. Brushing, flossing, oil pulling and other practices make for excellent oral hygiene.
Brushing and Flossing
Brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing after each meal are two recommended oral hygiene habits that lead to a healthier mouth. Not only do these actions remove food particles off of the surfaces of your teeth, but they also help to fight against the buildup of harmful plaque on tooth enamel. When your tooth enamel is not under attack, problems like dental caries do not form in the surface of your teeth.
Using a Tooth Pick After Meals
Since it is not always convenient to carry a toothbrush or dental floss everywhere you go, carrying and using toothpicks are a useful alternative for ensuring food particles do not get stuck between your teeth for long periods of time. This type of oral hygiene practice will not only keep the spaces in between your teeth cleaned out, but it will also help to keep your breath smelling clean. This is of course very important if you have to be face to face with people on a regular basis.
Oil Pulling
Since bacteria and toxins can hide deep inside gum tissue, swishing with organic coconut oil, for example, can be a fantastic way to help fight off and remove these unwanted substances. When you rid your mouth of such components through oil pulling, it reduces the opportunity for gum disease and tooth infections. As a general rule of thumb, you must spit out the oil after ten minutes and not swallow any of it to prevent recontamination. This is because the toxins in your mouth attach themselves to the oil.
Gentle Gum Massage
Massaging the gums, with clean fingers or a tool designed to stimulate the gum line, is a great way to encourage blood flow in the gum region. Increased blood flow helps to keep the gums healthy and functioning properly for years to come.
Oral Hygiene Prevents Filling Toxicity
People with bad oral hygiene tend to have a lot of fillings. This can be time-consuming, stressful and expensive. Maintaining good oral hygiene to avoid having such substances installed inside your mouth is always a better option.
Schedule Your Appointment Today
Good oral hygiene will keep your teeth and gums in tip top condition well into your older years. Perhaps the greatest benefit of good oral hygiene is that it allows you to be able to chew your food for as long as your teeth are in proper working order. People who lose their teeth early in life find out the hard way how inconvenient bad oral hygiene is on their quality of health and life. With three convenient locations in Dallas, Ragan Orthodontics is here to help you every step of the way in helping you maintain good oral hygiene. Contact our office today to schedule your appointment.