Oral Hygiene: Ten Tips to Pearly White and Perfect Teeth

chillibreeze writer — Supriya Bhat

TEN THINGS TO KEEP THOSE PEARLY WHITES PERFECT

Gone are the days when people used to visit the dentist only when they had a toothache or noticed an advanced stage of tooth decay. Awareness has increased tremendously and people now value their teeth much more than pearls. Teeth are the most important part of your smile and they contribute to your looks. Maintaining oral hygiene is the best way to free your teeth from cavities and other dental disorders.

Prevention is better than cure. So here are a few simple things to keep those pearly whites perfect.

1. First and foremost is your brushing habit. Brush your teeth at least twice a day or after each meal. Choose a brush with soft bristles. Do not apply a lot of pressure while brushing as it could lead to teeth wearing out and damaging your gums . It is always necessary to gargle your mouth with water after having food. It washes away the food particles lodged in between the teeth. Clean your tongue by gently scrubbing it with the bristles of your toothbrush. Coated tongue will lead to foul odour.

2. Flossing is a must as there are many areas where a toothbrush is not accessible for example the areas in between the teeth. It is very useful in removing food deposits and plaque from inter dental areas (areas in between the teeth). It should be done once daily. If plaque is not effectively removed it may harden to form calculus. If left untreated it leads to gingivitis. It is a condition where gums are inflamed and swollen which can even progress to periodontitis. It is an advanced destruction where the supporting structures of the tooth are damaged.

3. Food habits play an important role. Avoid sweet and sticky food which stick to the tooth surfaces and lead to plaque formation. Plaque is a thin film which forms on tooth surfaces and contains organisms leading to decay and gum diseases. In case you have a sweet tooth and cannot resist sweets then have them along with the meals rather than in between the meals.

Avoid aerated drinks as they contain a lot of sugar and they reduce the pH of Oral environment and render it acidic thus eroding the teeth and often making them an easy prey for micro organisms.

4. Drink a lot of water. It improves as well as increases the secretion of saliva. Saliva has a lubrication property of washing away the food debris lodged in between the teeth. Saliva also has an anti bacterial effect.

Foodstuffs like cheese also lead to decrease in the amount of decay in teeth.

5. Oral hygiene measures apply to children and infants too. After feeding your baby wipe his\her gums using a wet cloth. Frequent consumption of milk and juices with the feeding bottle is harmful to teeth. This can lead to rampant decay of teeth. This is called Baby bottle tooth decay or Nursing bottle caries.

This type of decay has been seen with prolonged breast feeding at night. Infants should not be put to sleep with liquids other than water. Breast and bottle feeding after 12 – 14 months will increase the incidence of decay.

6. Inculcate in your child the habit of brushing teeth regularly. Supervise your child’s brushing up to the age of 8 or 9 as children may swallow toothpaste because of the taste. Do not give the child lots of chocolates and sweets just to keep him\her happy. If your child cannot resist sweets see that he\she has limited intakes along with the meals and not in between meals.

7. Plaque detection can be done at home using disclosing tablets. A tablet is chewed in the mouth. It has a dye which stains the plaque present in different aspects of the tooth. This can be used after brushing to check the effectiveness.

8. Your personal habits also determine the condition of your teeth. Smoking and chewing tobacco can stain your teeth. It can cause bad breath and other dental disorders. It can lead to gingivitis. And if untreated may progress to periodontitis. It is also a predisposing factor for cancer.

9. Dental mouthwashes are available for bad breath, bleeding gums and sensitive teeth. Using them once a day may prove beneficial. These are anti bacterial, and thus reduce decay-causing micro organisms and also freshen up your breath.

10. Visit your dentist once in 6 months. In certain areas of your teeth are not accessible using a toothbrush, making professional cleaning mandatory. Take your child to the dentist periodically.

If you have mal aligned teeth, they can be brought back to alignment using braces and sometimes extraction. Cosmetic dentistry is so advanced today that you have the options of whitening your teeth and even altering their contour to make you look better.

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—About our writer:

Supriya says, "I am a dentist. I like writing articles about oral health care and any other dentistry related information. I would also like to try writing about health issues regarding obesity, balanced diet and weight loss. I love reading books, magazines and listening to music. I got married last December and I love this new phase of my life. I firmly believe that hardwork and determination are the keys to success."

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