The devastating COVID-19 global pandemic has had us all hiding behind masks for the last 18 months or so, which means our smiles haven’t exactly been on display. That is all going to change with the massive vaccination campaigns under way in most parts of the world and Covid regulations relaxing. If you’re slowly beginning to realise that your current oral situation leaves a lot to be desired, then here are eight easy ways to improve it in two weeks or less.
- Ditch the sugar
If you have read articles on improving mental focus, weight loss, or even general health tips, they all have one thing in common – ditching sugar. You don’t need to ditch it entirely – certain sugar does still have a fuelling purpose for our bodies, but you need to limit your intake.
Sugar and starch are two of the worst things to eat if you want a healthy smile because they get gummed up in between your teeth and cause cavities and decay.
- Brush regularly
There is no way your smile will stand half a chance if you don’t brush your teeth regularly. Many dentists and oral hygienists will recommend that you brush after every meal, which makes sense if you want to get rid of the cavity-causing baddies, especially before they have a chance to start digging into your precious pearly whites.
The problem with this idea is that it isn’t always practical. So, if you stick to brushing in the morning and before bed, then that should suffice. If you’re worried about the after-lunch brush, you can do a quick rinse because the water will help you get rid of some of those food particles.
- Flossing is your friend
Flossing is one of the healthiest oral hygiene habits to start. By simply flossing once a day, you can help to reduce the amount of food gunk that gets stuck between your teeth. Brushing is great, but your toothbrush can’t get in between your teeth as well as a piece of dental floss can. Flossing after meals is also a great habit to get into if you take your oral health seriously.
- Visit your dentist
For some reason, there are still people out there who are terrified of dentists. This is crazy because your dentist is the one who will fix the problems in your mouth – your teeth don’t grow back or heal themselves so your dentist should be your best friend. Find a great dentist in Sandy, Utah today and book yourself a check-up – after 18 months of hiding behind a mask, you’re going to need one!
- Stop smoking
Smoking is a terrible habit, and if you’re a smoker, then you already know that. All judgement aside, smokers have an increased risk of developing gum disease because smokers have more tartar build-up on their teeth.
This is caused by the nicotine in the cigarettes reducing the amount of saliva the mouth produces. That means the bacteria and tartar have more chance of making themselves at home in your mouth – completely rent-free.
- Drink more water
Drink a glass of water after every meal; this simple habit will help to protect your teeth. Drinking water dilutes the acid in your mouth and washes away any bits of food that might be lingering around. The water will rinse these bits away and assist in preventing tooth decay.
It is vital that you drink water and not fizzy drinks, fruit juices, or sports coolers – these will have the opposite effect because most of them are full of sugar. Water is best. It will also whiten your teeth at the same time as preventing cavities and tooth decay.
- Limit teeth staining foods
There are lots of foods that we love to eat which can stain our teeth and stop them looking their whitest. If you want a white pearly smile then you’ll need to avoid, or limit, the most teeth staining foods.
Some of these foods are tea, coffee, red wine, dark berries, chocolate and grape juice. You can opt to drink through a straw to avoid the teeth, add milk to your tea and coffee instead of taking it black and be sure to rinse your mouth with water after consuming any of the staining foods.
- Brushing behaviour
You need to brush your teeth twice a day, for two minutes at a time. This may sound simple, but you need to be careful with how aggressive you brush – brushing too hard will damage the surface of your teeth. The enamel that covers and protects the surface of each tooth is more delicate and sensitive than you realise, and it can easily be damaged by a hard hand.
- Take care of your tongue too
When brushing your teeth, remember that your tongue can also have a build-up of plaque lining the top of it. Include a gentle brushing of your tongue after you finish brushing your teeth – you can also use a tongue scraper if you prefer.
- Replace your toothbrush heads regularly
The average person should be replacing their toothbrush, or its head, at least once every three months. This will stop the bristles from softening too much and accumulating harmful bacteria. This is based on a person that brushes for two minutes, twice a day. Even if you don’t (and you should) you still need to replace it every three months to prevent the bacterial build-up. It’s worth keeping an eye on your own toothbrush as you may wish to change it more regularly to keep the bristles hard and effective.
Improved oral hygiene in no time!
Once you get into the swing of things and create these healthy hygiene habits, your teeth will be cleaner, whiter, and stronger than ever before. Remember that you only get one set of adult teeth, and you need to take care of them, so you don’t end up with dentures way before your time.
Not only will your teeth be grateful, but your friends and family will be too because your breath will be so much fresher too. Oral hygiene is not a subject that you should neglect, your mouth is the first port of call for anything entering your body, so you need to make sure it is healthy.
Lots of good tips!
Really helpful, thank you. I do feel like it helps to have a rinse with water between brushes.