5 Oral Hygiene Tips to Protect Your Teeth
It is important to protect your teeth from damage and ensure that there are not any serious oral health concerns that develop as a result of poor oral hygiene. By understanding how to properly protect your teeth and make them stronger, you can ensure you keep a healthy, beautiful smile at all times.
How to protect your teeth
Tooth enamel is the strongest substance in the human body, but the Achilles' heel of tooth enamel is bacteria and acid attacks, which can eat away at the minerals and cause enamel to erode. Subsequently, it is important to properly protect your teeth using these five oral care techniques.
1. Brush several times a day
First and foremost, good oral hygiene starts with brushing several times each day. By brushing, you not only protect your teeth by removing any food particles or other harmful substances that can cause tooth decay, but the teeth are also strengthened by providing them with the mineral support they need.
Be sure to brush the entire mouth, not just the teeth, as bacteria can attack the gums and other supporting tooth structures as well.
2. Floss
Most people understand that flossing is important, but very few actually floss enough.
While it may not be entirely necessary to floss after every meal, doing so just once a day can significantly help to protect your teeth in the areas that cannot be reached through brushing, such as in between teeth and in the very back of the mouth.
3. Use a fluoride treatment
Fluoride is tooth enamel's best friend as it helps support the minerals found in enamel and fights against bacteria attacking the enamel. The best way to utilize fluoride on a daily basis is to use a fluoride-based toothpaste.
In the event enamel erosion has begun, talk to a dentist about a stronger fluoride treatment in order to protect your teeth in the proper manner.
4. Avoid harmful foods and drinks
Many instances of tooth decay can be largely attributed to a poor diet, which consists of foods high in sugar and other harmful carbohydrates. In order to protect your teeth to the fullest extent, try and avoid too much intake of harmful foods and drinks, such as coffee, sweets and tomato-based products.
For many, giving up coffee or other foods and drinks that may harm enamel is not feasible, in which case, extra dental care can help protect your teeth after consumption.
5. Visit the dentist regularly
Last but certainly not least, it is very important to visit the dentist on a regular basis to properly protect your teeth. While good oral hygiene can significantly reduce the chance of enamel erosion, there is still a chance plaque can build up on the surface of teeth.
By visiting the dentist for a dental cleaning and checkup regularly, you can ensure good oral hygiene and protect your teeth and remove any plaque that has hardened and become too tough to remove through brushing.
Request an appointment here: https://www.longgrovedental.com or call Long Grove Dental at (847) 636-5020 for an appointment in our Long Grove office.
Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Oral Hygiene Basics.
Recent Posts
Wondering when you should see an emergency dentist? Read on to learn more. Regular dental care can prevent emergency dental treatment. Unfortunately, dental emergencies do happen unexpectedly, even if you brush and floss regularly. In such cases, it is a great idea to visit an emergency dentist immediately.Many people do not know whether their dental…
A traditional dental bridge can replace up to three or four consecutive teeth on the same side of a dental arch. It is one of the most common dental replacements you can get. Knowing how to care for it can help maintain your new smile for a long time. Here are some tips for ensuring…
Minor flaws in your teeth might make you hide your smile. If so, dental veneers might be the answer for you. These thin, customized porcelain shells will fit over your existing teeth and even out their appearance.Over time, dental veneers have become more prevalent as a cosmetic dental choice. Veneers are thin shells of porcelain…
Many people can avoid the need for restorative dentistry through good oral hygiene. However, accidents happen. This review covers how a restorative dentist can help after a traumatic accident.Every dentist offers their own set of restorative dentistry procedures. Some of the more commonly offered treatments are tooth replacement, repair for damaged teeth, and periodontal treatment,…