Having healthy teeth can make the difference between living a happy life or a not-so-great one. That’s because physical appearance plays an important role in relationships and society in general. So if you can show a great smile in day to day life, you’re definitely steps ahead in society. For example, those considered more physically attractive are more likely to be accepted for the job role than their less attractive colleagues. And healthy teeth plays a big role for the physical appearance.
1. Brush wisely
Clean teeth is the basis of dental health. When you brush make sure that you’re using a soft bristled toothbrush. Hard bristled toothbrushes can actually damage and scrape away your protective enamel, leaving you more prone to developing cavities. Also really important to remember that if you’ve had acidic foods, like citrus or kiwis, or anything with lemon juice or vinegar in it, do not brush your teeth for the next two hours afterwards. As your enamel can actually be softened and susceptible to being scarped away. Hibiscus tea is also included in that acidic category.
Most dentists agree that brushing your teeth twice a day is totally adequate, some say after every single meal, but that is your call. Regardless of that, you should always go to bed with clean teeth.
2. Floss a lot
Flossing is the way that we clean the food out from between our teeth, so definitely make sure that you are flossing every single day. Regular flossing removes plaque and food particles which a toothbrush cannot easily reach. Plaque build-up can contribute to tooth decay and gum disease, thus daily flossing your teeth is highly recommended. You can use either Nylon (multifilament) floss or PTFE monofilament floss. If properly used, both types are very effective.
3. Use mouthwash
You don’t necessarily have to buy a mouthwash, and definitely avoid those mouthwashes that you find at the drugstore. They’re alcohol-based. Stoking your mouth in an carcinogen once or twice a day is a horrible idea and it just destroys all of the beneficial bacteria that’s found in your mouth.
Saliva is one of the best things for your teeth, and even if it sounds weird, what you can do is collecting some of your own saliva in your mouth for a couple of minutes and then swish it around. You can do this for up to like 20 minutes at a time. It is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your teeth. A lack of saliva is one of the primary reason that we develop tooth decay and gum disease in the first place, and the best part is that it’s free.
4. Manage your PH
Acidity softens your enamel and leaves you more susceptible to dental decay. Bacteria and the dental plaque that they produce are so bad for our teeth because they’re actually acidic and they break down the enamel.
So alkalizing your mouth, especially after meals, is really, really wise. One simple way to do this would just be swishing with plain old water after every meal, it takes only a second and you don’t need anything special to do it.
Putting a little bit of a baking soda into water and then swishing with that. This really alkalize your mouth. Keeping the pH of your mouth alkaline it’s also why it’s important to avoid snacking throughout the day, because if you’re constantly taking in food, and you’re constantly taking in sugars or other things that can fuel the growth of bacteria, then you are constantly acidifying your mouth and setting yourself up for dental erosion and decay.
5. Eat enough minerals
Eating minerals: dark leafy greens, beans, nuts and seeds. Those are your primary sources of minerals and you need to make sure that you’re eating enough of these. Another way to be consistently exposed to small amounts of minerals would be by drinking re-mineralized water. Utilizing re-mineralized water or adding concentrated mineral drops to your water is a great way to consistently be giving your body the minerals it needs.
Another important dietary factor to consider when we’re talking about dental health, is sticky foods, like dried fruits or dates, starches or anything that’s caramelized and high in sugars. Those will most likely get stuck to your teeth. So if you’re a lover of dried fruits, etc, enjoy them but make sure that after that, to brush your teeth, floss your teeth, rinse your mouth and get your pH back to the baseline.
6. Always stay hydrated
Like i mentioned earlier, saliva is the basis of dental health. You need plenty of saliva in your mouth, available at all times. Saliva is alkalizing and full of minerals and helps to sweep bad bacteria away from your teeth, preventing them from depositing plaque and eroding your enamel. When we’re dehydrated, our saliva production plummets. So you need to make sure that you’re drinking plenty of fluids.
7. Go to the dentist
I don’t really like going to dentist much either. But if you go to your dentist, and get your teeth inspected and cleaned, that’s one the best thing that you can do for your teeth. Get regular cleanings and regular check-ups. None of us really want to be exposed to radiation, but get the dental x-rays once in a while and just check on things, make sure that you’re not developing big cavities that are gonna cause a root canal or cause you lose your teeth.
Always remember that good teeth are a privilege not a right, so take good care of them if you want to look beautiful and never have teeth pains.