Cleaning our teeth should be almost second nature to us when we are taking care of ourselves, and if we have been doing it since the moment we have been able to chew food, it is not unreasonable to assume that we should all pretty much know what are doing by now, right?
That being said, as we get older, research advances, and we start to understand the nature of these automatic habits we accumulated. If curiosity is not the driver, the dental bills certainly will be.
So with this in mind, this piece will offer you some top tips for keeping your teeth properly clean.
Do Not Rinse!
Mint can leave a really strong taste in our mouths, and for the sensitive among us, it can be a little uncomfortable. Of course, the natural reaction to this is to promptly rinse your mouth out with water, but this is actually the last thing you want to do if you want your toothpaste to protect your teeth. The fluoride deposits which are left on the teeth are what help prevent cavities from forming, or getting worse, so resist the urge to rinse it off after you spit out the excess.
Use Mouthwash Separately
In the same way, if you use mouthwash straight after you have brushed your teeth, you are also rinsing off all that fluoride goodness too, which might sound strange since many of us think to use mouthwash immediately after we have brushed our teeth. The best time to use mouthwash is actually throughout the day. If you do want to do it in the morning, ideally, brushers should wait around 15 minutes before using mouthwash after brushing their teeth to make sure you are not counteracting the toothpastes work.
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Chew Sugar Free Gum
Chewing gum is one of the best ways to protect your teeth on the go, with minimal effort. The gum needs to be sugar-free, that is non-negotiable, otherwise it would be like just chewing on candy throughout the day. Chewing gum stimulates saliva production, which can help neutralize acids that build up from plaque bacteria and wash them away, so if you want to give your teeth an extra boost and are not able to give them a proper brush, keep some sugar free gum on hand.
Get Flossing
Flossing has often been seen as an “optional extra” along with brushing our teeth, but the reality is it is so much more important than that. It is not difficult to imagine the bits of food that get stuck in the cracks and gaps between our teeth. Brushing can do a good job of pushing these bits in further rather than brushing them out, leaving them to fester. This can cause bad breath and awkward cavities that are easily avoidable but difficult to fill.
To get on top of this, get yourself some quality floss, and floss your teeth, loosening the debris before you brush them!
The above things are just some of the ways you can better take care of your teeth. That said, it is still important to regularly visit dental experts like this professional female dentist in Melbourne so they can check your teeth and detect possible issues that may arise.