The 12 tips to take care of dental and oral hygiene

Just as we strive to keep our bodies healthy, through exercise and healthy eating, in the same way we must focus on maintaining our oral health. Since our mouth is not only a letter of introduction thanks to our smile, but it is a sample of health. What's more, when we neglect its cleaning, it increases the risk of suffering from serious diseases such as diabetes and even heart diseases.

Therefore, it is important to acquire and maintain a daily hygiene routine, brushing teeth 3 times a day and flossing. In today's article we will talk about the importance of maintaining oral health and present the best tips to achieve it.

• We recommend you read: "How to remove tartar from teeth? 12 tips "

Why is it important to maintain oral health?

In essence, the greatest importance that we can mention about oral health is to prevent the health and quality of life of a person from deteriorating due to the appearance of cavities, gingivitis, gum conditions, sores, etc., which, if not treated in time, can create a snowball effect and aggravate the normal state of the mouth and even

spreading to other places in the body, such as the respiratory or cardiovascular system. And is that oral infections can spread to other regions of the body.

What's more, the aesthetic part is affected, because the poor quality of hygienic care is reflected in the smile or in the breath, thus revealing that there is something wrong happening inside the oral cavity. This also causes a decline in self-esteem due to the change in perception that others may have towards the person.

How can I take care of the health of my mouth?

It is not only about brushing your teeth 3 times a day, but about doing it the right way, using dental floss and be careful with what we consume, but we will explain that in more detail in the tips that we will show you to continuation.

1. Brush your teeth properly

We must have a correct brushing, but what does that mean? The bottom teeth should be brushed upwards and the top downwards, the molars in circular movements and not forgetting the tongue. In addition, it must be done slowly and with gentle movements (to avoid causing pain and generating more complications) with a toothbrush with firm bristles or special if you have any specific condition, which you should make sure to change every 3 months to prevent bacteria from nesting and cleaning remains effective.

Why brushing after every meal and before sleeping? This is to prevent micro-debris from accumulating between the teeth and causing gum problems, dirt, or contributing to cavities. Placing a greater emphasis on doing it before sleeping to prevent bacteria from clinging more tightly to the mouth.

But you must be careful to do it at least 20-40 minutes after eating foodSince the mouth has an alkaline pH and in general the food we eat is more acidic. So, when you eat or drink something, the pH of your mouth decreases and it takes some time to regain its alkalinity, Over time, the acid attacks tooth enamel and if we brush immediately, this acid can spread throughout the mouth and teeth. teeth.

• To know more: "Brushing your teeth right after eating: a good idea or a bad idea?"

As a recommendation, if you can't wait that long to brush, then the best thing to do is chew a sugar-free gum and rinse your mouth. In this way, the acid is washed away, thanks to the saliva generated by the chewing gum that the alkalinity is restored more quickly.

2. Drink enough water

Drink at least two liters of water daily, not only helps to keep us hydrated, but also to maintain oral health, since water works as a protective barrier against the appearance of bacteria. The more hydrated we are, the greater the production of saliva and therefore the greater the protection we give to our mouth. On the contrary, the lack of fluid in the body allows the appearance of bacterial plaque and, therefore, an agglomeration of oral problems.

3. Cut down on sugary drinks

Since we were children we have heard our parents say that sweets damage teeth and this is not far from the truth, sugar damages tooth enamel and helps tooth decay. The problem arises if we eat food or sweets with a lot of sugar and we do not have good oral hygiene habits, since bacteria feed on said sugar, causing acids to be released that promote the deterioration of the teeth.

How can we avoid it? When drinking coffee, tea or natural juices, it is preferable sweeten them with natural products such as stevia or consuming the light varieties, which dispense with sugars and use artificial sweeteners. Of all, it is still not very clear if they are totally harmless to oral health.

4. Avoid temperature changes in food

Both very hot and very cold foods and drinks They can also affect the health of our mouth, since it can damage the enamel of the teeth, generate injuries in the gums, tongues, cheeks and esophagus, cause tooth sensitivity, vulnerability for the appearance and reproduction of bacteria In this case, it is preferable that you eat warm food and drink water at room temperature or that is not frozen.

5. Reduce citrus intake

Citrus fruits such as lemon, orange and grapefruit can be harmful to teeth if consumed continuously, both in fruit form and in drinks. This is because the acidity they possess cause damage to tooth enamels, generate sensitivity or irritation in the gums and make the mouth susceptible to the presence of bacteria.

Other drinks that you should reduce as much as possible are wine, coffee and tea since they have high tannin content that can staining the teeth, giving them a yellowish coloration that is unsightly, although this only occurs in cases of very excessive.

6. Use dental floss and mouthwashes

We seldom take seriously the importance of flossing to ensure excellent oral health, but this is a tool which favors us since it is responsible for cleaning all those microparticles from the places that the bristles of the brushes are not capable of to get. For its part, mouthwash is responsible for cleaning the mouth completely, but yes, it should be used only once a day as it can be very harsh on the gums. Make sure it contains fluoride to strengthen tooth enamel and the entire oral cavity.

To use dental floss effectively, you have to wrap its ends around the index fingers of each hand, pass it between each tooth and around them gently. Yes indeed, check for bleeding or swelling in the gums after useWell, that is a sign of a problem that you should discuss with the dentist.

7. Do not smoke

Tobacco, in itself, has many negative consequences for the body. Some of the best known are respiratory problems and cancer, but in addition, it tends to weaken the strength and enamel of the teeth, in addition to staining them. This occurs due to nicotine, which causes the arteries to contract, resulting in the supply of blood, oxygen and cells responsible for repairing and regenerating the support of the teeth is less, causing the appearance of bacterial plaque and the detachment of the teeth.

• We recommend you read: "9 great health benefits of quitting tobacco smoking"

8. Visit the dentist frequently

Many do not find going to the dentist pleasant at all, since we can have a hard time with the overwhelming sound of cleaning machines and the pain that remains in our mouth. However, this is the most effective way to guarantee our oral health, since the dentist is the only specialist capable of advising us and help us maintain the necessary oral care for each personal case.

9. Do not bite your nails

Onychophagia is more common than it sounds and occurs as a way to cope with anxiety and stress, as it helps the brain to distract itself. However, this bad habit causes wear on tooth enamel and causes small lesions on teeth that, in the long term, causes sensitivity to both hot and cold foods and when chewing you can feel very intense pain.

Another important recommendation that you should know is that you should never use your teeth to break nuts, open packages or remove the caps from the bottles, this causes the teeth to break and wear the enamel, due to the pressure that is exercises.

10. Also brush the tongue

Usually we tend to forget to clean our tongue because we don't find the importance of doing it, but that is a serious mistake. Despite not being a surface like teeth, the tongue has small cracks where bacteria accumulate that cause bad breath. Therefore, it is essential to clean the entire area with the toothbrush and do it from back to front to prevent food debris from sticking to the surface of the tongue and thus maintain good hygiene oral.

11. Say yes to vitamins

Vitamins not only help strengthen our immune system or maintain good cosmetic care, but they can also support oral health. In this case, it is recommended to take both prescription vitamins and foods rich in vitamins A, C, D and K, in addition to calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, allowing the gums to remain strong and prevent the appearance of any disease. Using vitamin supplements should only be done if a doctor recommends it.

12. Protect your teeth from physical activities

Although teeth may feel hard and tough to the touch, they can fall out with a significantly hard knock or drop. Significant injuries, broken blood vessels, fractures of the jaw bones, or trauma to the teeth can also result. Therefore, it is important, if you do contact sports activities or where you may have the risk of an accident, wear mouth guards.