Gum disease is present in around 25% of the Indian population. What this means, of course, is that many Indians fail to care for their teeth and gums properly. Are you part of this group? Need some tips for achieving healthy teeth and gums? Then read on. Here are the keys to caring for teeth and gums.
Brush Your Teeth Twice A Day
The most important thing of all is to brush your teeth. If you brush your teeth 2 times a day every day, your teeth and gums should remain in fairly good condition over time.
Of course, there’s a little more to it than that. Namely, you can’t just brush your teeth willy-nilly. You need to brush your teeth the right way.
This includes taking the brush across every tooth in small circular motions, first getting the fronts of each tooth, then the bottoms of each tooth, then the backs of each tooth. In short, each and every portion of each tooth should be brushed.
The best times to brush your teeth are at the beginning of each day right after you wake up and at the end of each day right before you go to sleep. If you really want to be diligent about protecting your teeth, consider brushing after each meal or snack as well.
Floss Your Teeth Regularly
Brushing will go a long way in maintaining the health of your teeth. However, if you want the healthiest teeth possible, you need to floss as well.
The benefits of flossing are many. Not only will it help remove plaque from between your teeth but it will also reduce the risk of cavities and halitosis.
Now, how often should you be flossing? Ideally, once a day and, ideally, right before you go to sleep at night. Make sure to get between each tooth, including those hard-to-reach ones in the back of your mouth.
Touch With Your Dentist
Even if you do everything possible to maintain your teeth and gums, you still need to see your dentist regularly. This is so for a number of reasons.
For one, your dentist will be able to provide your teeth with a deep cleaning, allowing you to get rid of thick plaque. This is vital for the long-term health of your teeth and gums.
In addition, your dentist will be able to spot budding problems before they turn into huge issues. This is important, as it allows for early dental intervention, the lack of which would make you more susceptible to tooth and gum decay.
So, make sure to see your dentist twice yearly. Typically speaking, it’s best to go every 6 months.
Take It Easy on the Sugars and Starches
All foods have the potential to be bad for your teeth, especially if you don’t brush and floss in a timely manner. However, it’s the sugar-heavy and starch-heavy foods that are the most detrimental. As such, you should keep their consumption to a minimum.
Wondering which types of foods are dense with sugars and starches? They run the gamut from candy to soda to white bread to pasta to potato chips and the like.
Have any other questions on the types of foods to avoid? Keep in touch with your dentist.
Keep the Alcohol Consumption to a Minimum
Like to have a drink at the end of a long workday? Maybe you like to get rowdy with your friends on the weekends? You can certainly do these things; however, overall, you should keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.
Put simply, alcohol is horrible for the teeth and gums. It attracts bacteria and leaves plaque behind. This allows for rapid decay.
If you’re drinking several times a week, you’re almost sure to see a drop in the quality of your teeth. They’ll probably start to become yellow. For this reason, you should really only drink once or twice a week.
And if you do drink, you should brush your teeth as quickly as possible afterward. This can help to remove some of the plaque, thus reducing the amount of decay that’s allowed to occur.
Avoid Tobacco
In addition to limiting alcohol consumption, you should also avoid tobacco use at all costs. This includes everything from cigarettes to dip and more. If it contains tobacco and you’re consuming it, it’s going to have adverse effects on your teeth, causing them to become discolored over time.
Now, this isn’t to say that the occasional cigarette is going to leave your teeth and gums in a state of decay. However, it will still have a negative impact. And considering all of the other negative consequences of tobacco, why even entertain the idea of using it?
In short, try to kick the habit as soon as possible. Your teeth, gums, lungs, and overall state of health will thank you for it.
Use Mouthwash
Our last piece of advice is to use mouthwash. This provides several benefits. First of all, it freshens up your breath, making you much more pleasant to be around.
In addition, it kills a good number of the bacteria that have collected in your mouth overnight and throughout the day. This helps stave off tooth and gum decay and allows for greater oral health overall.
We advise using mouthwash twice a day: once in the morning after you wake up and once at night before you lay your head down to rest.
Maintaining Healthy Teeth and Gums Is About Consistency
At the end of the day, maintaining healthy teeth and gums is about consistency. Follow these tips on a regular basis, and your oral health should continue to be in tip-top shape.
