No one wants to worry about having bad breath, discoloured teeth, or other nasty oral health issues. Not only can these be a little bit embarrassing, but they can also result in more serious health problems if you’re not careful. While a visit to the dentist might help you resolve these issues if you want to reduce your chances of developing them in the first place, here are four ways to improve your oral hygiene that will help.
1. Maintain a Good Routine
It’s something that has been drummed into most people since they were a child, but it can be easy to get sloppy when it comes to maintaining a good oral hygiene routine. However, if you want to only get positive feedback from your dentist, make sure that you’re brushing your teeth twice daily, taking the time to floss, and rinsing your mouth out with mouthwash. If you want to have better teeth cleaning experiences, you might also want to think about switching to an electric toothbrush if you don’t have one already.
2. Go to Your Dental Check-up Appointments
Even if there are no obvious signs of issues with your oral health, you shouldn’t skip your check-up appointments with the dentist. It might not be something that you particularly enjoy, but it can help to give you peace of mind that everything is OK. It’s also better to catch any potential problems sooner rather than later, and these check-ups will help to achieve this. If you aren’t yet registered with a dental clinic in your area, do this as soon as possible. You can look at the Enhanced Dental Studios Hope Island for a better idea of what to expect from a dental clinic if you are unsure.
3. Think About What You Eat
Just like your diet can affect the rest of your body, your teeth are also impacted by what you decide to eat. It’s not just about how sugar can rot your teeth but also about making sure that you’re getting the right nutrients to promote good gum and tooth health. Getting enough calcium into your system will be important, but also vitamin C, vitamin D, phosphorus, vitamin A, and vitamin K are all great for oral health. You can always take supplements to help boost these in your system, but eating a balanced, nutritious diet will help with this also.
4. Avoid Smoking and Excessive Alcohol Consumption
These are both things that you should do to maintain good health overall, but they will also promote better oral hygiene. Smoking can encourage plaque to build up in your mouth, but the chemicals it creates can also harm your gums and even lead to tooth loss or mouth cancer. Alcohol similarly can increase plaque, as its sugars are perfect for bacteria to feed on. Red wine, in particular, can also stain your teeth, as can nicotine, which will dull your smile and cause your teeth to appear yellowish.
If you want to improve your oral health, consider the tips above and see how they can make a difference.