Dental health is an important aspect of your overall health and neglecting your teeth can have some serious consequences. If you want to avoid pain, cavities and other problems, including the expensive dentist bills they come with, make sure to follow these four best practices.
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Table of Contents
Brush your teeth and use mouthwash
Let’s start with the basics: you should brush your teeth twice a day and use mouthwash once a day. We all know this, but it can be tempting to skip brushing your teeth at night when you’re tired and just want to go to bed, or in the morning when you’re running late for work. And no, chewing some gum that freshens up your breath is not a substitute for actually cleaning your teeth, and you can’t use mouthwash instead of brushing them. Brushing your teeth and using mouthwash is crucial to getting rid of plaque, tartar, food residue and bacteria. Make sure to do these basic things every single day to keep your teeth clean and healthy.
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Get your dental work done by a professional
There are many at-home solutions and “life hacks” that are gone viral, but it’s always best to consult a trained and qualified professional when you need work done. This includes minor treatments like whitening to more major work like crowns, veneers and dental implants. If you’re experiencing an issue with the appearance or health of your teeth, always see a dentist instead of trying to fix it yourself. It might be more expensive, but it will definitely be worth it in the long run.
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Don’t neglect your gums
Be honest, do you floss every day? Dentists don’t tell you to floss for fun – it’s actually really important. Plaque and tartar easily build up in the spaces between your teeth that your toothbrush can’t reach. This can cause cavities and also irritates your gums. Gingivitis is mild inflammation that can be uncomfortable and painful, but it can also develop into serious periodontal disease that might eventually lead to tooth loss. To prevent this, make sure you floss or use an in-between brush every day. Of course, this should be added to your routine, and not done instead of brushing your teeth or using mouthwash.
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Go to your check-ups
Lastly, you’re not an expert on dental care, so make sure to consult someone who is. Your dentist is not someone you should see only when you already have problems; he/she is there to help prevent those issues from occurring in the first place. Ideally, you should attend a check-up every six months. This will enable your dentist to give you a professional clean that is much more thorough than you can achieve at home, as well as identify any possible problems before they develop into anything more serious.
If you’ve experienced issues with cavities, tartar, inflamed gums or other common problems, these are some of the steps you can take to prevent them from reoccurring. Follow these practices to maintain a beautiful smile and great oral hygiene.
