Excellent dental care is essential for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Proper oral hygiene can help prevent cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease, as well as promoting general overall health and wellbeing. But what does excellent dental care actually consist of? Here are five things that make up an effective at-home dental care routine:
Brush Twice a Day
Brushing your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste is one of the most important aspects of good dental hygiene. Brushing helps to remove bacteria from the surface of your teeth and helps to reduce plaque build-up. It’s recommended you brush for two minutes each time and use gentle circular motions on your teeth and gums to ensure a thorough clean.
Floss Daily
Although brushing is essential, it’s not enough to keep your mouth healthy on its own. Flossing removes food particles and plaque build-up in between teeth which cannot be reached by brushing alone; this reduces the risk of tooth decay and gum disease significantly. It’s recommended you floss once per day before bed or after meals.
Use Mouthwash
Rinsing with an alcohol-free antiseptic mouthwash helps to reduce bacteria in the mouth that causes bad breath and cavities, as well as helping to get rid of any remaining food particles after brushing and flossing. Mouthwash should be used daily for best results; swish it around in your mouth for 30 seconds before spitting it out.
Eat Healthy Foods
Incorporating healthy foods into your diet can help promote strong teeth and gums; foods such as dairy products (milk, yogurt), vegetables (green leafy vegetables like kale or spinach), fruits (especially citrus fruits) , nuts, legumes (beans/lentils) are all excellent sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, etc., which are all essential for good oral health!
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
Visiting your dentist every six months is an important part of taking care of your teeth properly; they can perform deep cleans which get rid of plaque build-up where you may have missed while brushing at home, as well as detecting any problems early on before they become too severe or start causing pain or discomfort in the future!