Proper dental or oral hygiene is paramount to achieving healthier gums and teeth. Routine practices like flossing, brushing teeth, and regular dental check-ups promote excellent oral hygiene. But oral health involves much more than that, and it’s undeniably important, as past studies show that oral health significantly affects your overall health.
If you’d like to prevent dental problems and frequent appointments with your dentists, here are a few essential tips to help.
Understand your cavity risk level.
When thinking about oral health, understanding your cavity risk level is crucial. You can learn about your dental risk level through a thorough dental exam.
Comprehensive dental exams help reveal your dental status, the required treatment, and the dental routine and dieting you should adopt. After determining your risk level, you can follow a specific dentist-approved plan to improve your oral health.
Additionally, understanding your cavity risk level helps determine the frequency of dental appointments. Ideally, the lower the risk, the less number of times you need to schedule dentist appointments. Therefore, it is wise to discuss with your dentist your risk levels and the best time to get dental exams.
Avoid/reduce smoking.
Smoking is terrible as it destroys your immune system. Once the immune system is compromised, it slows the healing process of body tissue cells, including your dental cells. According to medical experts, smoking is one of the primary factors for gum disease.
Often smokers will experience poor healing after a dental procedure. Furthermore, smoking may affect your mouth’s appearance, causing the tongue and teeth to become yellow with the mouth producing an unpleasant odour.
Minimize your intake of starches and sugary foods.
As a young child, your parents often reprimanded you when they found you eating candy or other sugary foods. While this was an unpleasant experience, it was necessary to help prevent tooth cavities. You probably do the same now with your kids.
Sugar damages your dental health and might result in adverse dental problems. Desserts, candy, and processed foods contain significant amounts of sugar that are detrimental to dental health.
The World Health Organisation recommends limiting sugar intake to below 10% of your daily calories. However, reducing it to 5% further minimizes the risk of developing cavities and other dental issues.
Furthermore, a starchy diet, including bread, crackers, and pasta, might lead to tooth decay. Instead of consuming more starchy food, invest in plenty of fiber-rich foods, including vegetables and fruits, to maintain dental health.
Consume more water.
Water is life and one of the best drinks to improve your health. Consuming enough water is essential for your dental health, and drinking at least a couple of glasses after each meal is wise.
Water helps wash down food particles stuck between your teeth. It also prevents potential tooth decay due to sticky drinks or foods.
Wrapping Up
There you have it! If you want to cut those frequent visits to your dentist, consider these four ways to support your oral health every day. Proper oral hygiene practices will save you and your family more time and money.
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