Best Ways to Keep Your Smile Healthy

These days everything is pretty fast paced and often people look for a short cut to get things done more quickly. Unfortunately, there isn’t a shortcut to a healthy smile. The following are some quick and easy ways to make it easier to keep your smile healthy.

Brush and Floss

The best way to maintain optimal oral health is to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time and floss at least once a day. This helps to remove the bacteria that build up in your mouth throughout the day and night. Brushing and flossing are the number one way to protect your teeth as they are the most effective way to remove bacteria that cause decay and periodontal disease as well as surface stains that may discolor your teeth.  

To maximize the effectiveness of your brushing, make sure that you change your toothbrush regularly. Toothbrush bristles fray as you brush your teeth and become less effective the longer you use the toothbrush. The ADA recommends replacing your toothbrush every three to four months to increase the cleaning effectiveness (Source).

Drink Water

Drinking water is not only good for your body; it is also good for your smile. Water helps to rinse left over food particles from your mouth, helping to restore the pH balance in your mouth after eating. Drinking water is especially important if you suffer from dry mouth. Not only will the water help rinse left over food particles from your teeth and restore the pH balance in your mouth, it will also help moisten your tissue and help loosen any mucus.

Chew Sugarless Gum

Chewing gum helps stimulate salvia flow which helps reduce the pH in your mouth. Additionally salvia contains minerals that can help to remineralize your teeth and reverse some of the damage done by decay causing bacteria.

See Your Dentist

Brushing and flossing removes much of the plaque that forms on your teeth. Depending on your genetics, diet, and your brushing habits; the plaque in your mouth may form faster than you can remove it. Any plaque that is left on your teeth after brushing will harden and become tartar. Tartar can only be removed by a dental professional. This is one of the many reasons it is important to see the Evanston dental team at Stephens Dentistry for your regularly scheduled recare appointments.

Bacteria in your mouth can also produce acids that eat away at your dental enamel and cause cavities. Sometimes these cavities are not visible on the surface of your tooth. At Stephens Dentistry, our Evanston dentists are able to use x-rays and intra-oral cameras to view what is happening on the surface and inside your teeth to catch cavities before they become too large. 

Don’t take shortcuts with your oral health; instead take a little time each day to care for your smile. Taking this time will help you keep your teeth for your whole life.