Our teeth are the most essential component of our bodies. We can’t thrive without our teeth; they enable us to eat, communicate, and give our faces shape and attractiveness.
They may provide us with the courage to speak out and impact our daily lives.
Preserving good dental hygiene is critical for maintaining healthy teeth.
Healthy teeth are crucial not only for our mouth but also for our overall health.
Be mindful of your dental hygiene!
To keep a healthy mouth, what are some of the best practices?
Flossing daily,
Brushing your teeth at least twice a day,
Replace your toothbrush once a month, or sooner if the bristle form changes and also after any illness to avoid reinfection
Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle
Limiting your intake of alcohol and sugar
Avoiding smoking and fizzy drinks
Visiting your dentist once in 6 months is just a few things you can do to keep your teeth healthy and prevent dental decay and gum disease, which may lead to tooth loss.
How to Brush Your Teeth Properly?
Brushing your teeth aids in the removal of plaque and bacteria that accumulate on the teeth and around gumlines. Plaque that is not adequately removed causes caries, gum disease, and, eventually, periodontal disease. A proper brushing method may aid in the prevention of cavities and infections.
- Toothbrush type and toothpaste
There are so many different kinds of toothbrushes available on the market that it might be confusing to choose the appropriate one.
A small-headed, soft-bristled toothbrush with round ends is recommended for most individuals. It is simpler to reach the back of the mouth with a small head. Hard bristles may cause tooth wear and, as a result, sensitivity.
It is crucial to use toothpaste with the appropriate fluoride content.
Examine the packaging to assess the concentration of fluoride contained in each brand.
Adults should use toothpaste with a minimum concentration of 1350 ppm.
- When to brush?
Always brush your teeth twice a day, preferably after breakfast and before sleeping.
- Don’t Rush
Brush your teeth gently and softly, since vigorous brushing may cause toothbrush trauma and tooth sensitivity. Spend a minimum of two minutes brushing your teeth; use a stopwatch/timer or play a 2-minute song.
- Steps to follow
Use pea size toothpaste and brush at 45-degree angles to the gum line to eliminate trapped plaque and food debris, brushing softly in a circular motion and downwards in upper teeth and upwards in lower teeth. Brushing one tooth at a time will slow your pace and ensure that you do not miss any spots.
Brush the outer, inner and chewing surface of teeth, people often neglect to clean the inner surfaces of teeth, facing towards the tongue.
- Remember the tongue
Remember to brush your tongue since it harbours plaque and bacteria that cause bad breath. As a result, scrubbing your tongue with a toothbrush at the end of brushing is crucial.
How to floss your teeth?
Floss eliminates plaque and food debris from areas that a toothbrush cannot readily approach, such as between your teeth and under your gumline.
Cut 45 centimetres of floss and wrap a portion around one finger on each hand.
There must be no slack in the floss held securely between the thumb and forefingers with 2.5 cm of floss between them.
Use a gentle rocking motion to guide floss between your teeth
Once you reach the gum line, make a C shape by wrapping it around the neck of the tooth
Slide it away from the gum in an upward direction for the lower tooth and downwards for the upper tooth
Follow the same steps for all teeth, and don’t forget the backside of the last tooth in each arch.
Discard the floss after use, never reuse the same floss.
What if you don’t brush your teeth?
When you don’t brush your teeth, plaque and bacteria develop on them. The repercussions of missing one night of brushing are usually not severe, But leaving brushing more often leads to tooth, tissue and bone loss.
- Gum diseases:
Due to a lack of tooth brushing, gum disease is the most common health condition. Plaque buildup leads to the formation of calculus, which cannot be removed by brushing alone; scaling is required. Gingivitis is caused by plaque and calculus, which weakens bone and teeth. If left untreated, this develops into periodontal diseases.
- Tooth decay
Food particles and sugar debris that are not removed from the teeth form a habitat for bacteria that feed on the debris and generate acid, which wears away the outer protective layer of the teeth known as enamel, eventually leading to tooth decay/cavities.
- Tooth loss
gum diseases, and tooth decay is already scary enough as they can lead to other problems in the mouth such as periodontal diseases and infections. Untreated gum diseases and tooth cavities lead to tooth loss. Tooth loss may cause a variety of additional problems, including loss of confidence, decreased chewing strength, and bone resorption at the site of tooth loss.
- Bad breath
Bad breath is the most evident indicator of poor dental hygiene; bacteria that build up in the mouth due to remaining food particles generate a foul odour; the more bacteria there are, the worse the smell.
Why are my teeth yellow?
Have you ever noticed that your teeth aren’t as white as you’d want them to be, or that they’re going yellow or have gone yellow over time? Your beauty and smile are very important to you.
There are many reasons for the yellowing of teeth
- Aging:
As you age the enamel of your teeth gets worn away exposing underlying yellow dentin
- Poor oral hygiene
Not brushing your teeth or flossing can lead to a buildup of plaque and food stains
- Smoking
Nicotine leaves yellowish/brown stains on your teeth
- Drinks
Coffee, tea, wines and fizzy drinks can leave yellow stains on your teeth
- Medications
Tetracycline affects enamel development in children under the age of eight, resulting in tooth discolouration.
- Mouthwash
Chlorhexidine containing mouthwash when used for more than 14 days causes discolouration of teeth
- Fluorosis
Fluoride is beneficial to teeth, however excessive fluoride in water and toothpaste causes yellowish/brownish discolouration.