Our Tips for a Healthy Mouth

Your mouth plays a big role in your day-to-day life, more so than what many people think. You use it for eating, for speaking and for expressing your emotions. Is it not true that one person’s smile can often light up an entire room? Something so powerful and precious should be looked after then, but how can you care for your teeth? Your trusted Vancouver dentist has a few tips on how to keep a healthy mouth.

Brush and Floss Your Teeth Daily

You have heard it before, more than once no doubt – don’t forget to brush and floss your teeth every day. But this is an extremely important tip because this is how plaque and food particles are removed from the teeth, which ultimately prevents tooth decay and gum disease. Both very serious problems that can occur in the mouth. When it comes to brushing, remember that a toothbrush should be replaced at least every four months. Also, if you have braces then a special toothbrush might be needed. Don’t forget to use the right tools including the correct toothpaste. Fluoride, a key ingredient in some toothpastes, actually makes the tooth enamel stronger and helps to avoid tooth decay. Be sure that you are getting enough- but not too much – fluoride every day.

Watch What You Eat

Your diet doesn’t only have an effect on what the scale says – it can have a devastating effect on your mouth too. If you get enough vitamins, minerals and fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet then you will be less likely to suffer from gum disease. Snacking on sugary foods is not good for your teeth, rather chew sugar-free gum after each meal to reduce the harm that some foods can cause. Sugar-free sweets that contain Xylitol actually promote oral health. Your delicious sodas that you find in the shops often contain phosphoric and citric acid, these ingredients not only make the sodas what they are but they eat away at the surface of your teeth. One soda is not going to soften the enamel of your teeth, but a soda a day will.

Your Age Matters

The first trip to the dentist should be made by the time a child is a year old. Children need to learn good oral health habits from a young age, because without them their mouths will suffer as they get older. Toddlers and older adults seem to visit the dentist less than others, but this shouldn’t be the case because they need to have check-ups just as much as any other age group. Older people often begin to suffer from arthritis in their hands and brushing and flossing becomes more difficult, added to that is usually a decreased amount of saliva which causes discomfort.

These are only a few of the main tips for keeping a healthy mouth, but there are many more. Keep in mind that the key to good oral health is consistency – these tips need to be used every day. Be sure to keep your teeth brushed and flossed, watch your diet and avoid too much soda and sugar, and remember that visiting the dentist regularly is essential no matter what the age.