No-one is going to deny how crucial our dental health is. Unlike most parts of our body, our teeth don’t have the capacity to heal themselves when they’re damaged or decayed. For that reason, we need to take much better care of the ones that we have. Furthermore, any issues affecting your teeth can have a big impact on your self-esteem and confidence. As such, here are a few steps on getting active with your oral care if you’re worried that you’re falling behind.
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Ensure a good oral health routine
The first thing you have to do is make sure that you’re brushing, flossing, and rinsing as you should be. A lot of us don’t brush as many times as we should, and many skip over flossing. Flossing in particular can be tricky because teeth alignment issues can make it more difficult. However, there is a range of flossing tools that can be used if you have trouble using floss itself.
Know what to look out for
First of all, you should be ready to act on any problems as soon as you see them. Symptoms of deeper problems should have you making an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. For instance, bleeding gums is one of the most common dental symptoms of all, but it can be a sign of gum disease that, if allowed to get worse, can result in tooth loss.
Think about long-term improvements
If your teeth have been affected over time by issues like discoloration, chips, cracks, or you’re even missing teeth, then you might have a pretty low opinion of what you can do to solve the problem. However, cosmetic dentistry is able to fix all manner of flaws. You might be surprised as to how much help you can get, so don’t be afraid to make an appointment.
Improve your relationship with food
Your relationship with food is going to affect your teeth just as much as it does every other part of your body. You’re likely already aware of the fact that sugary food can do a lot of damage to your teeth, as can foods that leave residues such as chips. However, zinc and calcium are two examples of food components that actually improve the health of your teeth so make sure you’re getting enough of both in your diet.
Chew gum a little more often
As mentioned, sugar can definitely be bad for your teeth. However, there are plenty of sugar free gums can actually have some real benefits. For one, dehydration causes bacteria to proliferate more freely in your mouth, and chewing gum produces saliva which can stop this from happening. Furthermore, the ingredient xylitol that is in most sugar-free gum is good at fighting bacteria on its own.
Ensuring the best for your teeth means being consistent and being vigilant. You need to turn the above tips into habits by setting reminders on your phone, having a post-it on your mirror, or whatever else it takes.