Best Practices For Healthy Teeth & Gums

Teeth and gums are two parts of our body’s anatomy that require a preventive mindset in order to keep them healthy. Whilst our teeth are super strong, a certain amount of neglect and damage can’t be reversed.

You could risk facing a hefty bill for restorative treatment or even tooth replacement treatment like dentures or an implant. Invest in your smile by following our tips for keeping your pearly whites and gums in healthy shape.

Out with the cigarettes

There’s plenty enough research out there to conclusively prove that cigarettes will damage your teeth and gums, and teeth staining is the least of your worries. Cigarettes can cause mouth cancer, gum inflammation and recession, and lead to tooth loss.

If you smoke and you’re looking to better your oral and dental health, quitting is the no.1 thing to do before anything else.

Don’t forget about the hygienist

With a third of adults in the U.K admitting to never having even seen a hygienist, it’s clear there needs to be some re-educating about the vital role they play in maintaining good oral health.

Hygienists primarily address the health of your gums and communicate with your dentist to provide you with tailored care. Without healthy gums, your teeth don’t have a healthy home, and once advanced gum disease strikes, tooth loss is entirely possible.

Making sure you see the hygienist at least once a year will ensure plaque is removed from your gum line so that your gums don’t become inflamed and unable to accommodate your teeth.

Eat less frequently

Sticking to meals instead of snacking is not only good for your waistline, but it also ensures your mouth isn’t constantly dealing with acid attacks. Every time you eat (particularly sugary foods) your mouth has to break down the food into simple sugars, which acid-producing bacteria feed off and trigger tooth decay.

The more this process happens, the more likely you are to end up with a cavity, particularly if you’re not drinking plenty of water to wash the bacteria away.

Don’t brush like a maniac!

It’s really easy to get carried away and brush too hard, and it might even feel like you’re cleaning your teeth more effective in doing so. However, this is a habit you should seek to break, as it can cause gum recession in the long run, which will expose areas of tooth matter that aren’t coated with enamel, the protective layer that acts as a buffer against decay.

By going along to routine hygienist appointments, you will be able to nip habits like this in the bud (especially if you weren’t aware you were doing them), as your hygienist will notice if your gums are starting to recede.

Make flossing your friend

Did you know? Brushing alone neglects to cover 30% of the tooth surfaces in your mouth, making flossing an important habit to get into if you want to reach those hard-to-access areas. As well as helping to prevent bad breath, flossing will stop food particles and bacteria from hanging around to cause plaque and tartar build up on your teeth.

If you haven’t yet had a routine dentist or hygienist appointments post-lockdown, pop this at the top of your priorities list. Prevention is always better than cure!

               

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