Your teeth play an enormous role in your life. Besides helping you talk and chew, your teeth can have a major effect on your self-confidence. Most people say a smile is the first thing they notice when meeting a new person. Your teeth can make or break your appearance.
While your appearance is definitely important, your overall oral health is what you should be focusing on. More and more studies are revealing the links between the health of your gums and teeth to your overall health. One study found that men with periodontitis had more than a 70 percent greater chance of developing coronary disease than those with healthy gums!
In order to keep your teeth and gums in good shape, our Laredo, TX dental practice, McPherson Dental with Dr. Maya Guerra-Zuniga, agree that the following 22 tips can go a long way towards keeping your smile bright and healthy.
1. Go on a white-teeth diet. Typically, what you put in your mouth tends to show up on your teeth, especially if it’s dark. Drinks like black tea, red wine, coffee, sodas, dark juices, and gravy are some of the biggest culprits. Besides the obvious drawbacks from smoking, cigarettes and cigars stain your teeth, muddying up your white smile. The rule to remember: If it’s dark before you put it in your mouth, it has a high chance of staining your teeth.
To combat these stains, remember to brush your teeth immediately after eating or drinking these foods. You could also use a straw to bypass your teeth when consuming liquids. The goal is to be conscious of the foods and drinks you put in your body and how they affect your overall health. Make sure to have a toothbrush around or at the least, eat an apple for dessert. Apples provide some teeth-cleaning action.
An advanced measure is to have your teeth whitened. You can do this with over-the-counter bleaching agents or by making an appointment with Dr. Maya Guerra-Zuniga at our Laredo, TX dental practice.
2. Hum while you brush. Dr. Maya Guerra-Zuniga, everyone at our Laredo, TX dental practice, and the American Dental Association recommend brushing your teeth for at least 2 minutes, twice a day. Doing so ensures you get the majority of the bacteria-filled plaque out. By humming your favorite song, you can bypass the time while brushing and remember when it’s been about 2 minutes. If you don’t want to hum, you could also place a timer in your bathroom.
3. Don’t brush too hard. Your toothbrush shouldn’t look like the bottom of a 3 year old broom. If it does, you are brushing way too hard. When you brush your teeth hard, you aren’t just removing plaque, you’re removing the enamel of your teeth. When you remove enamel, the inner part of your tooth, known as dentin, shines through. Unfortunately, dentin is yellowish in color. Many dentists, Dr. Maya Guerra-Zuniga included, note the best way to brush your teeth is by placing your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against your gums and gently moving it in a circular motion, rather than a back-and-forth motion.
4. Drink a cup of tea every day. Tea ingredients seem to prevent harmful bacteria from sticking to teeth as well as blocking the production of a type of sugar that contributes to cavities. Another benefit from drinking tea is the high amounts of fluoride, which is good for your teeth,
5. Chuck your toothbrush or change the head of your electric toothbrush every two to three months. If you don’t, you’ll just be transferring bacteria to your mouth. Also, when you go to get your next brush at the store, make sure it’s “soft”. “Hard” toothbrushes are no good for preserving your enamel.
6. Use alcohol-free mouthwash to rinse away bacteria. Mouthwashes that contain alcohol can dry out the tissues in your mouth, making them more susceptible to bacteria. Unfortunately, the majority of mouthwashes you can buy over-the-counter contain a lot of alcohol. Some studies even suggest that using mouthwashes containing alcohol can increase your chances of getting oral cancer. To be safe, McPherson Dental in Laredo, TX suggests using a mouthwash that doesn’t contain alcohol.
7. Clean your tongue. Cleaning your tongue with a tongue scraper every morning removes tongue plaque and bacteria while freshening up your breath. Using a tongue scraper is more effective than brushing your tongue with a toothbrush.
8. Avoid sugary foods. Sugar and bacteria are the main culprits for plaque. When you have too much plaque, your gums bleed, your teeth decay, and you form cavities. Also, carbonated beverages and the acid found in refined sugars actually dissolve tooth enamel.
9. Instead, eat “detergent” foods. Foods that are firm and crisp help clean teeth as they’re eaten. Foods like apples, raw carrots, and celery make the best “detergent” foods. If you know you can’t brush your teeth after eating, eat these foods at the end of your meal.
10. Gargle with apple cider vinegar in the morning and then brush as usual. The vinegar helps remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums. This is also a popular treatment for sore throats.
11. Brush your teeth with baking soda once a week to remove stains and whiten your teeth.
As an alternative to toothpaste, use baking soda to clean your teeth. Put some on your toothbrush and follow the standard brushing rules. Remember to spit it out!
12. Practice flossing with your eyes shut. Most of us floss looking into a mirror. Unfortunately, you may not be in front of a mirror at all the opportune times you should be flossing. When you practice flossing with your eyes shut and without a guide, you will be able to floss in bed, in your car, at your desk, and before important meetings or dates. When you can do this, be sure to keep extra packages of floss scattered throughout your car, desk, purse, briefcase, and nightstand.
13. Don’t use your teeth as tools.
Next time you think of opening that can with your teeth, remember the damage it can cause. Use a tool that is disposable rather than your teeth that you only have one set of! Keep a little bottle opener and a pair of scissors in your desk so you don’t need to risk your oral health on something so trivial. Never, ever use your teeth as tools for anything except eating.
Check out the rest of the tips here: http://www.rd.com/health/beauty/maintain-a-healthy-beautiful-smile/3/
Hopefully these 22 tips help you keep your mouth happy, healthy, and bright. While these tips are helpful, you should always brush and floss twice a day as well as seeing a dentist every 6 months for routine cleanings.
To make an appointment with a friendly Laredo, TX dentist, visit McPherson Dental’s website at www.mcphersondental.com to make an appointment with Dr. Maya Guerra-Zuniga today!
McPherson Dental Center 