Nowadays it simply isn’t acceptable to have poor oral health. With a variety of different types of toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss, there is no excuse not to maintain a healthy smile. Below are 7 dental professional’s top tips for keeping fresh, healthy breath, which will keep you from having to take the less pleasant trips to the dentist by improving your overall health.
1. Brush after every meal. Nice and simple, 3 times a day is the general rule of thumb, but brushing after every meal with become an easier routine if you’re traveling or busy.
2. Only purchase high quality oral hygiene products. When it comes to your health you should not settle, if you feel most comfortable with an electronic brush, invest the $25. You will regret purchasing cheap low quality brushes, toothpastes and mouthwash when your health begins to suffer.
3. Floss! These days with electronic brushes, trimmers, and so on, it seems everyone is in a hurry. Slow yourself down when it comes to dental health and you will feel the effects of a cleaner mouth! Flossing is very important to reducing plaque that builds up between your teeth, and will keep your mouth feeling fresher for longer.
4. Use mouthwash. Listerine and Scope are both very well-known brands when it comes to mouthwash. Many products will advertise little to no burn and contain little or no alcohol, while these can be tempting it is recommended that you avoid them. Using a mouthwash like Listerine or Scope that contains alcohol will guarantee that any nasty germs in your mouth are killed, keeping your breath fresh. Withstand the burn and you won’t regret it.
5. Clean your tongue. This is a routine that is unfortunately not encouraged more. Most of the bacteria that reside in your mouth actually live on your tongue. Sometimes even using a powerful mouthwash will not kill it all, simply because you only get the top layer. By investing in a tongue scraper and tongue cleaner, or simply brushing over your tongue with your toothbrush and a little toothpaste, you can be sure your mouth is cleaner.
6. Quit smoking. Smokers often have bad breath as a result of the dirty hobby but suffer other, more severe consequences as well. Not only is smoking more likely to cause a yellow smile but it is the leading cause of oral cancer. This disease is incredibly dangerous because the mouth is where we intake both our air and food, when this system is hurt by cancer or disease, the rest of the body suffers.
7. Make regular appointments with your dentist. Although this article is meant to keep you from the painful visits to the dentist to get that root canal you’ve needed, regular trips to the dentist for a checkup or cleaning are very encouraged. There’s no better defense than a good offense against poor dental health.