Everyone is guaranteed to smile at least once a day, meaning your teeth are going to be on show for everyone to see.
If you don’t take good care of your teeth and you don’t take dental hygiene seriously, a smile can suddenly become embarrassing rather than liberating. However, there are a range of techniques that will keep your teeth as white and healthy as ever. There are many advantages of home whitening to keep your teeth looking pearly-white; however, there are also more practical ways of keeping your teeth in good condition.
Brushing Technique
Of course, the number one method that people use to keep their teeth clean is brushing them. But, you’d be surprised at how many people think they’re doing a satisfactory job when actually, their brushing is barely keeping their teeth plaque-free at all. To get the most out of brushing your teeth, position your brush at a 45 degree angle to your gums and brush in back and forth strokes to get each individual tooth cleaned to a good standard. Plaque build-up is greatest on your back teeth, so ensure to pay specific attention to these, as how will you eat your favourite foods without them? We’re not done yet though, as brushing your tongue and the roof of your mouth is essential for maintaining good dental hygiene as well, as you can develop bacteria build-up there as well.
Going the Extra Mile to Maintain Hygiene
In order to make the most out of having a hygienic mouth, you will need to comply with a few more techniques, flossing being one of them. Again, many people believe that their flossing is effective and doing the job, when actually it’s hardly having an impact on their dental hygiene at all. Experts recommend that you use floss that’s up to 18 inches in length, as then you can use a fresh bit of floss for every few teeth and restrict the amount of bacteria being put back onto your teeth from the floss. When using floss, ensure you are using a ‘C’ motion to get the most bacteria off of your teeth and gums. As well as this, mouthwash is a quick and easy method to use after brushing your teeth. It only takes 1 minute, and can erase almost all of the bacteria in your mouth by accessing the areas that your toothbrush can’t reach.
Keep Your Brush Clean
It’s a myth that having a toothbrush cover can keep your brush clean from bathroom bacteria, however it’s been suggested that covers can actually keep bacteria festering on the head of your brush for longer. Therefore, this step doesn’t require any extra money or time, and can be completed by rinsing your toothbrush after each clean and leaving it to air dry. As well as this, you should limit the amount of times you share your brush with others. It seems obvious, but you’d be surprised about how many people share their brush on a regular basis.
Restrict the Bad Stuff
Good dental hygiene isn’t just about your cleaning technique. Several drinks can be very bad for your teeth, including alcohol, fizzy drinks and coffee. Of course, it isn’t necessary to cut these out completely, but instead to have them in moderation. Furthermore, avoiding tobacco completely is the best way to achieve high dental hygiene, as the products within tobacco have a negative, rotting effect on your teeth. Therefore, quitting smoking with benefit your dental hygiene as well as your general health.
