How to Keep Your Teeth Healthy
In today’s day in age, we tend to obsess over maintaining a healthy body, living a balanced lifestyle, and ensuring that we always look our best. As a result, gyms, health food retailers, and beauty product retailers are popping up everywhere and benefiting from the ever-increasing flood of consumers looking to get in shape, stay that way, look after their bodies, and look their best. Despite our willingness to participate in active lifestyles, eat the right things, our dedication to morning yoga classes and a holistic life, we often forget about one of the most important part of our body: our teeth!
A lot of us neglect the integral part of our body that without, we would not be able to eat properly, speak properly, and live the life that we do. It is shocking that only now; people are being made aware of the correlation between good oral health and overall health. If you are curious as to how you can keep your teeth strong and healthy and maintain a the rest of your body’s health as well, keep reading!
Here are 7 easy tricks for maintaining a healthy mouth:
- White-teeth diet: If you are slamming back red wine and black tea, or smoking cigarettes or cigars, you just can’t expect your teeth to remain brilliantly white just like they were when you were a small child. Colas, gravies, and dark juices are other suspects to blame for yellowing teeth. To put it simply, if you put a dark substance in your mouth, odds are it’s going to stain your teeth. Brushing immediately after eating or drinking can dramatically increase your chances of whiter teeth.
- New toothbrush: Get rid of your toothbrush or at least change the head of your electric toothbrush at least every two or three months. By not switching brushes, you’re simply transferring bacteria around your mouth. You should be brushing your teeth by placing your brush at a 45-degree angle against your gums and gently moving it in a circular motion.
- Clean your tongue: A lot of people neglect to clean their tongue because it’s something you just don’t think about. However, it’s a great hiding spot for bacteria. Yaletown Laser & Cosmetic Dentistry recommends using a tongue scraper to remove tongue plaque is also a great way to freshen breath! Tongue scrapers are more effective than regular toothbrushes.
- Detergent foods: Foods that are “firm” or “crisp” can assist in cleaning teeth as they are eaten. You may have heard apples referred to as nature’s toothbrush in the dental world. In addition to apples, you can eat raw carrots, celery, and even popcorn! For the best results, ensure that these foods are the last thing you eat before you brush your teeth.
- Apple cider vinegar: Daily gargling of apple cider vinegar assists in removing stains, whitens teeth, and kills bacteria residing on your teeth and gums.
- Baking soda: Brushing your teeth with baking soda once a week will remove stains and naturally whiten your teeth. You can even use it as replacement for toothpaste!
- Keep your mouth fresh: The use of mouthwash kills the bacteria still kicking around after brushing and flossing. You will want to select a mouthwash with minimal alcohol. Mouthwashes containing too much alcohol can actually dry out your mouth, making it more susceptible to decay.