Your dental health care guide: Looking after teeth just got easier

Your smile is your superpower. Smiling can boost your mood, make you appear more approachable, and even help you look younger! If your teeth are discolored or missing, it can leave you feeling self-conscious about smiling, which in turn can affect your ability to build relationships and overall mood. It’s, therefore, very important to follow these simple steps for looking after your teeth. Below is an easy-to-follow dental health care guide.

Daily routine for caring for your teeth

In general, most people should brush their teeth at least twice daily (but ideally after every meal). Try to floss once a day too.

Also, it’s important to be aware of any conditions specific to you that might alter your needs. For example, cancer treatments, diabetes, heart disease, pregnancy, and dental appliances, such as braces, can all impact your oral health.

That means that you may need to modify your dental health care routine to accommodate those conditions. If you are impacted by any of these issues, speak with your dentist about it.

This professional will be able to advise you on any changes you might need to make to your oral hygiene activities. It might be daily modifications or something you have to add intermittently.

Quickly address any toothaches or dental emergencies

One of the most important things to do is to react quickly to any changes in your dental health. If you knock out a tooth, for example, it is imperative that you see a dentist as soon as possible, ideally within one hour of the incident. If it is outside of normal working hours, then contact a 24 hour dentist who will be able to help with looking after your teeth.

In addition, if you start to experience any toothache or other pains in your mouth, then it’s important to book an appointment with a dentist as quickly as possible. A toothache can quickly evolve into a tooth infection, and avoiding that problem is best avoided.

Understand the unique oral health risks you face across the lifespan as a woman too, so that you can take proper care of your teeth at any age.

For your oral health, watch what you eat

What you eat has a huge impact on the health of your teeth and gums. Many people do not realize that!

Some foods will promote the growth of plaque, which in turn leads to tooth decay and inflammation of the gums. Meanwhile, other foods help to fight plaque buildup.

Foods that help dental health are:

• Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables are good for proper dental health care because they promote the production of saliva, in turn helping to remove bacteria and tartar from the teeth. In particular, dark leafy greens and broccoli are great for oral health because they are a good source of calcium, which promotes healthy teeth and bone growth.
• Green and black teas are good for your teeth because they contain polyphenols that interact with plaque bacteria and help to stop it from growing. Black tea can stain your teeth, though, so be careful not to drink too many cups! Read more about Starting your day with a cup of tea has additional benefits too, beyond caring for your teeth.

On the other hand, some of the foods that hinder dental health are:

• Sticky candies and sweets. In particular, avoid keeping sweets like lollipops and hard candies in your mouth for a long time.
• Starchy foods that get stuck in your mouth, such as soft breads and potato chips. If you have eaten these ones then make sure to rinse out your mouth or, better yet, brush your teeth to get rid of any food residue.
• Carbonated soft drinks. They are full of sugar and acids that wear down tooth enamel. Plus, sodas are a leading cause of weight gain.

If you are eating sugary foods it’s a good idea to eat them at mealtimes, as your mouth will be creating more saliva to help remove the plaque from your teeth. Drinking more water is also hugely beneficial for your oral health.