Five Simple Ways to improve Your Oral Health

When you’re looking to improve your oral health and take care of your teeth, often people will tell you these huge, elaborate plans that you must use in order to take care of your teeth. While seeing your dentist is very important, there are certain things that you can do every single day to help you take care of your teeth, keep it bright, and have them last a long time. That’s what this article will do, and in five simple steps, you’ll do it.

You should first, brush and floss twice a day. You should minimally do it once, but twice for best results. You should do it ideally after a meal, flossing at the same time. You should make sure that you do brush for at least two minutes, covering all of your teeth in order to get the most surface area.

You should drink lots of water. Water is a drink that’s important for your body period, but it’s important for oral health especially. It will increase your saliva production, which will help get rid of particles and crate healthier teeth. It’s also better for your teeth than sodas and sugary drinks. It also will help to get rid of some of the bacteria in the mouth, which might cause plaque and tooth decay. Water is one of the best drinks to have, and you should have at least 8 glasses of water each day.

Next, you want to avoid a ton of sugar this includes not only drinks, but foods as well. If you have a sweet tooth, start to limit that, and don’t eat a lot of candy and sugary foods. If you do have some, maybe as a personal indulgence, make sure to brush your teeth after you eat, and do so well. You should also have some water too whenever you’re eating something sugary. The reason why sugar does what it does is because bacteria eat that, and that’s how plaque is formed. You should watch out for this, especially if you have a sweet tooth. If you do eat a ton of sugar, take the time to watch your overall oral care as well, taking a little bit of time to brush your teeth, ensuring that the bacteria aren’t given a chance to feed off of what you eat.

You should have a lot of calcium and vitamin D. This is important to strong teeth and bones, and it can help with your teeth as well. You should make sure that you’re getting a lot of calcium, which you can get from nuts and dairy products as needed. You should also make sure that you get enough vitamin D. The easiest way to get a ton of vitamin D is to simply go outside. Try to get at least 30 minutes of sunlight each day, even if it’s getting it while you’re eating lunch.

Finally, make sure that you see a dentist every six months. Visiting your dentist can help you with maintaining the smile that you deserve. They will check your teeth for cavities and other problems, clean them up so that they look pretty and shiny, and even address the dental issues that you have. If you’re worried about how your teeth look, the best thing for you to do is to see your dentist, and you should definitely make sure to do so twice a year, ideally every six months, and make sure that you don’t skip out on appointments. If you can’t see them, make sure to call them to schedule for an appointment that fits your needs.

You can do these five simple activities in the comfort of your own home, and they don’t even require a ton of special preparation. So many people are able to keep their teeth for decades, even their entire life, with minimal problems, and the best thing to do is to start with overall daily care. These are so simple to do, but the effectiveness spans for a long time. make sure that you take your time, do maintain optimal oral health, and give yourself the smile that you totally deserve.

Freshening Your Breath When Away from Your Home

Around 25% of people suffer from chronic bad breath. The causes for lasting bad breath range from dry mouth to dental issues to other diseases like diabetes.

But where is there to do to combat it? Surely there are fixes, right? Of course there are. That’s the point of this article.

So what can you do to ensure you have fresh breath the next time you’re at someone else’s house or at an event like a concert? We’ve come up with some helpful ideas, particularly for those events that include having a meal.

Of course, brushing your teeth can help prevent bad breath, but you can take it a few steps further. After brushing your teeth, make sure you clean your tongue. Brushing your tongue makes sure bacteria doesn’t build up, which causes bad breath. You could also try a tongue scraper for this job.

Another option is to take an antacid before you start eating. You may be accustomed to doing this after eating in order to alleviate any antacid or food intolerance, but doing it beforehand can reduce odors in your mouth.

Certain foods can up the risks for bad breath. However, some things found on the menu may help prevent it. Try incorporating a probiotic—commonly found in foods like yogurt or sourdough bread—into your meal. (Supplements are also a great idea to include in your daily routine.)

Another good choice would be foods with plenty of vitamin C. Peppers, citrus fruits, and kiwi can help to freshen your breath. Basically, citric acid helps your salivary glands to work well, which eliminates any unwanted bacteria that can cause bad breath.

Flossing after a meal will ensure anything stuck between your teeth is removed, preventing bacteria from spreading. Old food and newly eaten food can heavily impact your breath. By having some floss handy, you can drop by the bathroom to floss a bit after your meal.

Also, don’t be afraid to pop in a stick of gum after eating. Sugarless and peppermint flavors are the best option. Gum is quite easy to carry around and pop in when needed, which can quickly help freshen up your breath if you can’t brush right away.

A lasting tip: drinking water throughout the day and during the event will help keep your mouth clean and your breath fresh.

Common Myths about Flossing: Part 1

The dreary week between Thanksgiving and the beginning of December is a tough one. The weather is now officially cold, perhaps even some snow, and it gets dark outside before 5 every day. This is a depressing time that can often lead to the beginning of some unhealthy habits, especially when it comes to oral hygiene.

Most people do not floss anyways, but even less people floss when they are unable to find a good rhythm and routine to finish the year. Even less people actually understand the benefits of flossing and why it’s important to us. Make some time to visit your dentist office this month and have your dentist re-educate you on the benefits of flossing. In the meantime, this article covers some common misconceptions and myths surrounding flossing.

Myth 1: Flossing is Difficult.

A common excuse heard in a dentist office is that flossing is difficult and time-consuming. This could not be further from the truth! There are so many new ways and devices that have made flossing easier. The first of these is the Y-shaped floss-pick that has a piece of floss on one end and is a toothpick end on the other. The Y-shape is great for getting back in those hard to reach spots, and the toothpick is great for poking out particularly difficult pieces of food wedged in between your teeth.

The more popular device is the water pick floss, a device that shoots a high-powered water stream in between your teeth and blasts out the food or particles. People prefer this because it does not hurt at all, does not bleed, and also it’s great to give the teeth a little rinse off. These devices are also small and easy to handle, so just about anyone can use them. Don’t over thinking this process - flossing is easy!

Myth 2: Stop Flossing if your Gums Bleed

A lot of people tell the dentist in the office that a big reason they do not floss is because their gums bleed when they do. No one likes blood coming out of their mouth. However, it is good to note that this is actually a normal thing, and not something to be scared of. Be careful that you are not flossing too hard and are gently running the floss between your teeth instead of pressing down hard. Also, the funny part is that the more you floss, the less you bleed! So expect this to occur the first few times and after that, you should be totally fine. Make sure that if you continue to experience any type of gum bleeding that you check in with your dentist next time you are in the office.

Common Myths About Flossing: Part 2

Continuing on from our previous article, hopefully you saw how important it is to stay in rhythm and routine as you go from Thanksgiving into Christmas. Usually this time of year a lot of families are taking the time to take Christmas photos, so this is an important time to make sure your teeth are being taken care of! Make sure and stop by the local dentist office if you have any pressing concerns, or if you need to get that end of the year cleaning in! In part 1 we went over 2 of the common myths about flossing. Here are a few more below.

Myth 4: Flossing can cause fillings to fall out

A common concern a lot of dentist offices here is that flossing will affect filings and other work people have had done in their mouths. Here is the good news, flossing can actually reveal any loose crowns you might otherwise find while eating and accidently bite on or swallow. These filing need to be replaced anyway and this is a much better way to find them. Flossing does not affect crowns either. You should be able to floss with the peace of mind that you will not be affecting anything else in your mouth! And remember, if you want to avoid the pain of crowns and fillings, flossing is a great way to prevent them!

Make sure and stop by the best cosmetic dentist in Dallas office to get some new floss if you need it, and to make sure you are flossing properly and correctly. Or check out our toothy stocking stuffers articles to find other fun ways flossers that everyone can get for christmas!

All of these things have allowed us to basically keep our teeth as strong as possible for decades, and if something goes wrong or we don’t take care of them early on, there are always surgeries or alternatives to replace, repair, and restructure our smile. Basically, we have something for everyone to continue eating and speaking unimpaired.

But what about other animals? I know that rodents have to chew things (mostly wooden) in order to keep their teeth short and manageable since they grow throughout their entire lives.

But the pets we hold dear to us are a fine example of the animals I’ve thought about when it comes to dental health. For example, dogs and cats live roughly 10 to 20 years, yet they’re unlike us in “brushing their teeth” and unlike rodents in constantly chewing on things to file their teeth down.

So where does their cleaning come from?

Well, to start, let’s look at all teeth as similar structures. Humans need to keep theirs healthy because we live 4 to 5 times longer than cats and dogs and we can only grow one permanent set of teeth (and a set of baby teeth that fall out). While cats and dogs also only have two sets of teeth as well, they live considerably shorter lives than us and do a lot more chewing on toys, which can generate saliva that cleans their teeth.

Just as well, cats and dogs have more powerful saliva and roughly a stronger immunity to teeth decay than we do simply because their immune system handles raw meat and other things we simply couldn’t digest.

No matter the case, though, you’re still going to see dental cleaning items and snacks for your pet when perusing the aisles of the pet store. It’s not a bad idea to have some of these around for your pet in the chance that they don’t play with toys as much or eat as healthy as they probably should. Just look at the purchase as a treat every month (and even replace their regular treats for dental treats) if you’re overly worried about spending too much monthly income on your companion.