Everyone loves a nice, bright and wide smile especially because of the positive energy that comes along with it. Moreover, wearing a wonderful smile on your face is a huge step towards making a great first impression. Quite unfortunately, not everyone can afford a smile especially because it costs a healthy teeth and gum. Doesn’t sound like a hell of a fortune right?

A friend of mine once said to me that there was no reason whatsoever for him to smile, not when he didn’t have a white teeth and a healthy gum. I was quick to brush his fears aside and reassure him that all he ever needed for a package of healthy teeth and gum, wrapped around with fresh breath were little things. Brushing and flossing properly at the right time, and regular dental cleans/checkups is all you need, I told him. Today his smile is worth a million dollars.

This post was inspired by my friend and all the tips I shared with him (that worked), are what I will share with you. Like I said earlier, all you need is proper brushing, flossing, healthy habits and a regular visit to the dentist. While you might know about all this already, going about it the right way is where the cow stands on the ice. This guide will be most useful to you.

Taking good care of your teeth is one important habit you need to develop to have a better taste of comfort. Just as you need to take your bath daily to feel good for the rest of the day, you need to take very good care of your teeth as well. A healthy set of teeth is made possible by good work and habit developed.

Forward
Habit! This is the most part of what you need. It will do you much good to develop it as it will help you play by the rules of getting a healthy teeth and gum. While this habit will help you stick to the rules, on a larger, it will help you avoid unnecessary toothache, cavities and bad breath.

It takes, discipline, courage and hard work on a daily basis to keep habits in place.

Keep a good dental routine
These simple steps, when well-practiced will help you achieve the healthy teeth and gum you so desire.

#1 Brushing the Teeth:
Brushing is an important aspect of keeping the teeth clean, you already know. While it looks so simple because you’ve been into it your whole life, there are certain great tips worth saving to your mind folder.

# Don’t be in a haste while brushing. Take your time to make sure your brush reaches every corner of your mouth.
# Ensure a minimum of 2 minutes of brushing each time you do, and this needs to be done at least two times every day.
# Make sure to replace your toothbrush when the bristles get frayed. In fact, good oral hygiene demands that you replace your brush every three months.
# An electric toothbrush is a wonderful teeth cleaning tool to invest in. Good ones make sure you brush for the required minimum of two minutes, while providing over 40,000 strokes per minute (with your tooth brush you can go only about 300). It depends on the product though. Want to see 5 of the bests dentist recommended electric toothbrushes? click here!
# Pay good attention to your tongue while brushing. A properly brushed tongue should have no whitish or yellowish patches on it, red is the color. Scraping the tongue from back to front is the right way, as it removes bacteria and food particles on the surface chilling on the surface.

What a well brushed tongue should look like

I'm not sure how to paste images here yet, but you can see it on the site.

#2 Clean with a fluoride Toothpaste:
As part of achieving a healthy teeth and gum, brushing your teeth with a paste that contains an amount of fluoride in the proportion of about 1,400ppm is right. Toothpastes which contain fluoride in the necessary amounts help prevent tooth decay and also strengthens your enamel. Be careful not to swallow toothpastes like this, there are some complications that could arise from an excessive intake of fluoride. Learn more about fluoride toothpaste here.

#3 Flossing:
Flossing helps you clean the spaces between your teeth where toothbrushes can’t fit. Based on statistics, over 40% of your teeth surface remains untouched even after a thorough brushing session. Through flossing, food particles that get stock within the teeth and could lead to plaque buildup can be removed.

If however, you consider flossing too tasking, a good alternative to go by is an inter-dental cleaner. An inter-dental cleaner like the name implies is a brush/stick that is small enough to get in-between the teeth for cleaning. It is necessary that you floss at least once a day before brushing, so as to enable the fluoride paste to get in, and clean through.

#4 Rinse with Anti-bacteria mouthwash:
Antibacterial mouthwashes are great contributors when it comes to providing you with a healthy teeth and gum. They keep the bacteria in the mouth under control thus preventing bad breath. Note however that using a mouthwash is not an alternative to, and cannot replacing brushing. It is always best to use a mouthwash after brushing. Pour a little quantity of the mouthwash into your mouth after brushing, swish it around for about 2-3 minutes then spit out and rinse your mouth with water.

Follow a healthy diet

Following a healthy diet plan is also an important factor to look out for in your quest for a healthy teeth and gum. You are really what you eat.

# Reduce sugary food intake:
When sugar taken into the mouth mixes up with bacteria and saliva, it forms an acid which is capable of causing cavities and weakening the gum over time.

Don’t feel bad already, you don’t necessarily have to quit enjoying all the sweet foods you love, especially if you are not on any weight loss program. Just be sure however to regulate your consumption.

To check-mate the damages that sugary foods expose you to, rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after eating such. Some of the foods you need to look out for include ice cream, candy, chocolates, and other sticky foods.

# Snack wisely with fruits and vegetables:
Eat snacks that will help clean up your teeth. Opt for crunchy and fresh fruits to satisfy your in-between meal foos. This is of course a good way to foster a healthy teeth and gum while enjoying yourself. Besides, eating apples, carrots, cucumbers, lettuce and some other fruits and vegetables actually help keep your teeth clean.

# Limit drinking of alcohol:
Do you know that alcohol exposes you to risk of tooth decay and a weak gum with a greater possibility of bleeding? While this might be difficult, you have to limit your alcoholic drink intake if you’re really a fan of clean, white, and sparkling healthy teeth and gum. Thinking about the side effects could be a good motivation to help you regulate your alcohol intake.

The DON’Ts you need to know

# Stay away from tobacco:
Though it is not usually easy, avoiding tobacco is a great way to prevent teeth discoloration. Oral cancer, weakness of the jawbone, teeth discoloration, bad breath and inflammation of the salivary gland are just a few goodies tobacco has to contribute to your oral health. Continual smoking will definitely warrant you seeing a periodontist for treatment. This could be very expensive. Smoking could also lead to death!

# Avoid exerting too much pressure:
It is a common practice; attempting to break, crack or split “nut-foods” and bottle caps with your teeth. This is really bad however, as your teeth gets weak over time and may lead to cavity formation. Cavities give room for infections in the tooth called a tooth abscess. Though abscesses could be treated, in some cases it may require that your tooth be pulled! This is usually very discomforting, I must tell you. I have experienced it firsthand.

Professional dental care
For a healthy teeth and gum, make the dentist your friend. When you notice some symptoms such as swelling and/or bleeding of the gum, consistent bad breath, pains, or similar signs, schedule an appointment with your dentist. In the absence of any such symptoms, maintain your good oral care practices.

Conclusion

In addition to brushing for a minimum of 2 minutes twice daily, ensure to see your dentist twice every year (or every 6 months). This practice will save you from unnecessary expenses in the long run as timely discoveries of issues will be made. Have it at the back of your mind always that, a stitch in time saves nine and that prevention is always better than cure.

Are you aware of other good practices for maintaining a health teeth and gum? Kindly share them with us and other people looking to learn...

Note: We'd really really really appreciate it if you stop by our blog to share your thoughts, and great tips you know on this. Feel free to tell us topics you'd like us to write for YOU. Thanks.

Source: https://www.healthfixhub.com/2018/06/08/healthy-teeth-and-gum/

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