Maintaining proper oral hygiene can seem like a daunting task, simply because there are so many products and treatments available — both those offered by professional dental experts and those offered at your local pharmacy — and it can be difficult to figure out which products are actually necessary. Besides brushing and flossing on a daily basis (dentists usually recommend that patients do this twice a day, actually), there are a few other simple ways to ensure that you’re doing everything possible to protect your teeth and your overall oral health:
- As simple as flossing may seem, it’s understandable if you forget to do it — or completely neglect it — because it seems like too much of a hassle. However, flossing is one of the most important parts of maintaining proper oral hygiene, so if regular floss gets too frustrating, try using other dental care products like dental picks or flossers, which tend to be a little easier to manage.
- If you really have trouble remembering to floss, try incorporating other habits into your daily routine in order to clean your teeth in between brushing. Eating an apple at the end of a meal is a great way to clean teeth, and many dentists also recommend chewing on a piece of sugar free gum for a few minutes after eating; both of these tips will help eliminate small bits of leftover food that may be stuck on teeth, thus preventing dental decay and cavities.
- Speaking of food, it’s important to realize that chewy candy isn’t the only thing to stay away from. Many foods secretly contain a lot of sugar (like canned fruit, for example), while carbohydrates (i.e., any breads or pastas) turn into sugar when broken down — meaning that if a piece of pasta is stuck in your teeth, it can be just as harmful as having a sticky glop of sugar stuck there. While it’s a bit unreasonable to suggest that you eliminate these foods from your diet altogether, it’s important to pay extra attention to your oral hygiene after consuming them.
Now we’re turning to you for some help! If you have any extra tips on how you maintain good dental hygiene, or any mistakes you’ve unknowingly made in the past, we’d love to hear from you!
