A crucial part of dental care in Webster is keeping an effective oral hygiene routine. The proper habits can protect not only your teeth but also your gums. Take a closer look at why oral hygiene is critical to your teeth and gums and which habits are vital to safeguard them.
The Importance of Oral Hygiene
You likely already know some of the adverse effects of poor oral hygiene habits. But you may not be aware that failing to keep up with your brushing and flossing won’t just affect your dental health and the appearance of your smile; it can also ultimately impact your overall health.[1]
Proper oral hygiene can benefit you in the following ways:
Avoiding Tooth Decay
Keeping up with your oral hygiene can help you minimize tooth decay. Tooth decay can lead to significant discomfort, tooth loss, and even dangerous infection that can spread beyond your mouth.
Preventing Gum Disease
Oral hygiene habits also help protect you against gum disease. What begins as a swelling of the gums and increased tooth sensitivity can result in loose teeth, tooth loss, infection, and other complications.
Gum disease is also capable of impacting your overall health. Advanced gum disease has been connected to a variety of severe health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Protecting Your Mental Health
Poor oral hygiene can impact not only your physical health but your mental health as well. If you don’t have a healthy smile that you feel confident in, it can damage your self-esteem and make you self-conscious when interacting with others.
Dental Care in Webster: Tips for Maintaining Great Oral Hygiene
Your oral hygiene routine doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. A little effort and consistency can go a long way in keeping both your teeth and gums healthy. Try these tips to maintain your oral hygiene:
Brush Twice a Day
You should be brushing twice a day, every day, and doing so for four minutes at a time. Brush in small circles, focusing on the gum line area, and cover every area of your teeth. It’s also important to brush your tongue, as bacteria responsible for bad breath can be found there.
Floss Twice a Day
Your toothbrush can’t access every part of your teeth, so flossing twice daily is crucial. Food particles can get lodged between your teeth, resulting in plaque and, eventually, tartar. The bacteria in plaque and tartar can infect the gum tissue, resulting in gum disease.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a tooth-friendly diet can also help you avoid oral health issues. Certain foods can wear away tooth enamel, feed decay-causing bacteria, and negatively impact your body’s ability to fend off infection.
Avoid excess sugar and acidic food and drinks to maintain a diet that protects your oral health. You should also eat calcium-rich foods like almonds and dark leafy greens, take in plenty of tooth-cleaning veggies like celery and carrots, and drink plenty of water.
Avoid Harmful Habits
Smoking can be detrimental to your oral health, so avoiding it altogether is your best bet. You’ll also want to avoid chewing on pen caps and ice, as these habits can damage your teeth.
Consider Natural Remedies
There’s no replacing traditional dentists when it comes to protecting your oral health, but some effective holistic dentistry methods may appeal to you. For example, unsweetened green tea contains tooth-protecting fluoride.[2] Talk to your dentist to learn more about natural remedies that can improve oral health without harming teeth.
Opt for Regular Dental Care in Webster
You should be going for dental care in Webster at least twice a year, and some need more. Routine exams help to catch minor issues before they develop into more serious ones, and professional cleanings can access the deeper areas of your gums to remove plaque and food debris.
You can also look into cosmetic dentistry if you want to improve the appearance of your smile. A simple teeth whitening procedure can increase your confidence substantially.
Dental Care in Webster You Can Trust
With the proper habits, you can effectively safeguard your oral health and achieve a beautiful smile you love to share. If you need gentle, high-quality dental services in Webster, NY, look no further than Empire Dental Care. We offer a comprehensive range of both general dentistry and cosmetic dentistry services. Call us at 585-671-1650 to schedule an appointment today.
Sources:
[1] https://health.clevelandclinic.org/oral-health-body-connection
