To maintain healthy teeth for life it is best to start early in life with daily habits that are conducive to proper dental hygiene. Some of the most important things you can do to ensure healthy teeth are brushing, flossing, and getting teeth examined and cleaned by a dentist at regular intervals.
Get a good toothbrush recommended by your dentist. Also use a dentist recommended mouthwash, toothpaste, and dental floss. The toothbrushes that most dentists recommend have soft bristles and are sized appropriately so that they fit into the mouth nicely and easily reach all of the teeth, including those hard to reach ones in the back of the mouth.
Floss can be flavored, and comes in various widths and styles from ribbon or band shaped floss to other types that look more like string or thick thread.
Toothpastes sometimes contain additives to strengthen or whiten the teeth, and while some contain sugars others are sugar-free. Some people brush with homemade toothpaste made from baking soda and salt. Just ask your dentist for recommendations and then choose a toothpaste you like that has a pleasing flavor.
Once the dentist or dental assistance shows you the proper brushing technique, it is important to practice it after each meal. If you keep a toothbrush in places like at school or at work it makes it easier to maintain tooth care even if you are away from home.
Brush regularly and replace your old toothbrush with a new one each time it gets worn out or after you experience an illness like a cold or the flu. That will guarantee that your toothbrush is in good shape and will help protect you from a toothbrush that might carry germs that linger after an illness.
After brushing, floss as directed and then rinse with mouthwash. This helps to maintain not only good strong healthy teeth but good fresh breath. Developing habits of oral health and maintenance are easy, and they provide lots of benefits that will be with you for life.
But even if you did not get the benefit of a head start at a young age, it is possible to begin to maintain healthy teeth at any stage of adult life. The sooner you start, the longer your teeth will last without problems or unnecessary loss – and the easier it will be to keep them in a good state of health and looking their best.
Healthy teeth are important for a variety of different reasons, including the overall health of a person. Guarding against unhealthy teeth also helps to protect us against a wide range of other interrelated health problems that may not appear to be connected to oral health but are. From the types of food that we eat and how well we are able to chew and digest it to risk of bone, blood, and heart disease, dental health is part of the basic foundation of general health. Keep teeth and gums in good shape and not only will you look and feel better, but you will have to make fewer visits to the dentist and better overall health for life.