oral health

You brush your teeth twice a day and floss. Is there really more you can do to take good care of your teeth?

Although brushing and flossing regularly is essential, optimum oral hygiene involves more than just your ordinary routine. Many factors contribute to cavities and gum disease. So even though you brush and floss, it’s likely not enough to keep your smile looking its best.

10 Tips to Healthy Teeth

1. Properly brush your teeth – Brushing your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristle toothbrush along with fluoride toothpaste at a 45-degree angle is the correct way to brush. At this angle, you will not only brush your teeth but will brush along the gum line where plaque builds up.
2. Use the right toothpaste – Unless you have a health problem that prevents you from using fluoride, you should choose a toothpaste that contains fluoride.
3. Floss Daily – Do not ignore this important step. Flossing helps eliminate food particles, and plaque stuck between the gums and enamels that brushing often cannot reach. When food and plaque remain in these areas, it can lead to a build-up of tartar, leading to gum disease.
4. Don’t forget your tongue – Your tongue can house bad bacteria that can lead to bad breath. So give your tongue a gentle scrub with your soft-bristled toothbrush.
5. Use a fluoride mouthwash – Using mouthwash is an important step in preventing gum disease. Fluoride rinses protect tooth enamel from plaque and tartar build-up and also helps rinse away food debris.
6. Keep medical issues in check – Medical issues and diseases like diabetes can harm a person’s oral health. There is a strong link between physical and oral health. So, make sure to take care of your overall health.
7. Pay attention to what you eat and drink – Candy, sugary drinks, and other types of foods create a bad environment in our mouths. The bad bacteria present in our mouth feeds on sugar, creating more bad bacteria, which leads to plaque.
8. Eat foods that are gum healthy – Many foods are good for our oral health. For instance, onions consist of antibacterial properties that help protect your gums. Kale, spinach, and other leafy vegetables are rich in Vitamin C, which can help reduce gum inflammation. Finally, cheese and yogurt have protein compounds that help prevent enamel erosion.
9. Regular dental checkups – Regular dental cleanings and checkups serve two important purposes. First, dental cleanings help eliminate plaque buildup that is often missed when brushing and flossing. Second, an exam will identify any issues like gingivitis and gum disease. Early detection is key to prevent other more serious problems.
10. Quit smoking! – Using tobacco products increases a person’s risk of developing gum disease. This is the case even if you take excellent care of your teeth. The sooner you quit, the faster your body begins to heal your gums.

Schedule Your Checkup Today

At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle dental care that you deserve from sedation dentists in St. Louis. We work hard to make you feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere.

There is no drink like water as it is by far the healthiest drink you can choose to drink. Our amazing bodies are made of 60% water. Therefore, staying hydrated helps our bodies get rid of waste, distributes healthy nutrients, keeps our muscles moving, and improves the quality of our skin. And, drinking water, especially water with fluoride, helps keep our teeth healthy!

Why Drink Water?

There are many health benefits associated with drinking water. But some of the benefits include:

• Strengthens teeth – It is essential to drink water with fluoride. Fluoride is a mineral that strengthens our teeth. We often hear controversy regarding fluoride, but when we get the right amount, it prevents tooth decay. Most bottled water does not contain fluoride. If it has been added, it will say so on the label.

• Washes away the bad stuff – Water is perfect because it can wash away residue and leftover food without leaving anything harmful on your teeth. Water also dilutes the acids produced by the bacteria in your mouth.

• Prevents dry mouth – Our saliva is 99% water! So when we are not well-hydrated, we become low on saliva and can experience dry mouth. But saliva is our mouth’s first defense against tooth decay. It helps us swallow, washes away leftover food, and keeps our teeth healthy by washing them with phosphate, calcium, and fluoride. By drinking enough water, we can prevent dry mouth and make sure our mouth is producing enough saliva.

• Healthy for the rest of our body – A significant contributor to the increasing rate of obesity in the U.S. is sugary drinks. People who drink 1-2 sugary beverages every day are 26% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. However, water contains no sugar and has zero calories, making it an incredibly healthy drink.

Choose Water for Your Family

While occasionally having a sugary beverage may be ok, having too many on any kind of regular basis definitely has its health drawbacks. Encouraging your family members, especially children, to choose water instead of soda or juice, will benefit them greatly.

Schedule Your Appointment Today

Another way to maintain good oral health is by having routine dental check-ups and cleanings. At The Dental Anesthesia Center, we value our patient relationships, making it our priority to deliver gentle dental care that you deserve from sedation dentists in St. Louis. We work hard to make you feel at ease by providing exceptional patient care in a relaxed, convenient atmosphere.