It is quite surprising how few people truly know what dental care is. Because of this, Dr. Kami Hoss has decided it was time to lift the veil once and for all on how to properly look after your teeth. Teeth, and overall oral hygiene, are vital elements of overall health. Hence, you should look after your oral health as much as you would the rest of your body.
Dr. Kami Hoss’ Top Tips
- Always brush after each meal.
Most people think that brushing should be done twice a day – on waking up and before going to bed. In reality, however, you should brush your teeth after each meal, preferably with a fluoride toothpaste and a soft bristle brush. Anything harder can wear down the enamel of the tooth.
- Brush for the right amount of time.
Some people only give their teeth a quick brush, but you should actually brush for two minutes. Most new electric toothbrush models now come with a time after two minutes. Some even come with a 30 second timer, indicating when you have to move from inside to outside, and from top to bottom.
- Always floss.
Sales of floss products have remained pretty steady of the past few decades. What this means is that there are still not enough people who floss. Flossing is vital, as it is the only way to really clean properly between the teeth. Sometimes, teeth are so close together that even a floss wire will not get through. However, some flossing is better than no flossing, so even if you can only do it between two teeth, it is better than not doing it at all.
- Have regular checkups.
A lot of people only visit the dentist when they have a problem. At that point, the procedure often becomes lengthy, painful, and expensive. By having a checkup twice a year, which is quick, painless, and affordable, you can avoid these more significant problems from occurring.
- Use mouthwash.
While you should brush after every meal, you should only use mouthwash twice per day – on waking up and before going to sleep. Use mouthwash after brushing, and rinse your mouth with it for two minutes. By using mouthwash, you can get rid of a wealth of dangerous bacteria and leave your mouth healthier overall. It also helps to control bad breath.
- Don’t smoke.
Smoking is bad for your health – all your health. It affects not just your lungs, but also your skin, hair, nails, and teeth. It also gives you very bad breath. Smoking also causes tooth discoloration, which is unsightly. Furthermore, if you smoke, recovering from things such as wounds and ulcers is much slower. There is even some evidence to suggest that smoking can lead to jaw bone loss.
As you can see, dental care isn’t difficult. At the most, it will take 10 minutes out of your entire day, which really isn’t all that much in the grand scheme of things.
