Few Tips to Maintain Your Oral Health

Your mouth is a gateway to your body and therefore should be maintained meticulously. Following are simple steps that you can practice daily.

• Regular brushing

Brushing is the basic step of maintaining good dental hygiene and we all know that we need to brush at least twice daily for good oral health. However, what we often ignore is using the right technique to clean our teeth. As suggested by the American Dental Association (ADA) – Hold your brush at a 45 degree, pointed towards your gums, and use gentle back and forth stroke across the sides and top of your teeth. Then use short back and forth strokes to clean the inside, outside and chewing surface of your dental arch. Brushing correctly can help reduce plaque and tartar growth in between teeth and gums.

• Regular flossing

Like brushing, flossing is essential as well and you should do it at least once a day. Flossing helps remove food particles between your teeth where your toothbrush cannot reach. Using the floss incorrectly can cause gum damage. Talk to your dentist and dental hygienist about the correct way to floss.

• Regular dental visits

You should visit your dentist at least twice a year for complete dental checkups and dental cleanings. Frequent visits to your dentist enables him/her to detect any early symptoms of dental damage or gum disease and gives a chance to treat the issue in its early stage. It is always wise to examine your dental health on a regular basis for any signs of trouble, such as soreness, swollen gums and sensitive or bleeding gums. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your dentist.

• Healthy diet

Make sure that you follow a healthy diet and munch less on junk food. Avoid sugary, sticky, and starchy food as it sticks to the crevices of your teeth that causes the bacteria in the mouth to feed on them, which eventually leads to cavities. Try to brush immediately after eating anything that is too sweet.

• Steer clear of tobacco

People who smoke are more likely to lose teeth and have periodontal disease than non-smokers. Also, products that contain tobacco causes halitosis (bad breath) and even worse, it increases the chances of oral cancer.

Dr. Gurpreet Gill is a general dentist in Calgary at Expressions Dental™ Clinic in Calgary NW, which offers you a wide range of dental treatments. Visit the website https://www.expressionsdental.ca