Should you rinse your mouth after brushing? Four ways you can keep your teeth healthy
Should you rinse your mouth after brushing? 4 ways you can keep your teeth healthy
Good oral hygiene is often understated. However, it’s important to leading a healthy lifestyle and prevent other diseases. In some cases, poor dental hygiene has been known to increase the chances of Alzheimer’s disease. The good news is that you can take simple steps to maintain your teeth and prevent serious health problems that are caused by poor hygiene regimes.
You can think of the mouth as a window that can let anything into your body. Even if you eat right and don’t smoke, there are millions of germs and food particles that can make a home inside the crevasses of your teeth and gums without you even realising it. To ensure that you have healthy, white teeth, here are four great ways to start.
- Rinsing right after you brush is a bad idea
Contrary to popular belief, rinsing right after you brush is a strict no-no according to dentists. The reason behind it is simple. There is fluoride in your toothpaste that helps to protect your teeth. The up-and-down motion that you do spreads it around so it can reach the nooks and crannies between your teeth. If you rinse immediately afterward, the fluoride will get diluted and its effects are greatly reduced. Instead, let it stay on your teeth and don’t wash it off.
- The type of toothpaste you use is important
The chemical in your toothpaste that does all the heavy lifting is fluoride. In order for the toothpaste to be effective at stopping decay, it must have fluoride. According to dentists, the right dosage for adults is around 1,350 parts per million (ppm) fluoride, while kids under the age of six can make do with just 1,000 ppm.
- Selecting the right toothbrush goes a long way
There are a huge range of toothbrushes these days, with the fancier ones having specific patterns, features and special bristles that claim to help clean. Although most of them work, ensure that the bristles are soft. This way, your teeth are gently cleaned and you reduce the risk of gum damage.
If you prefer an electric toothbrush, then they work just as well if not better than the manual brushes. As long as you brush all the surfaces of your teeth along with a fluoride toothpaste, you’re good. Choose the brushes with an oscillating head as they work better than others. If you have gaps between your teeth, then use interdental brushes that fit snugly between your teeth. Never use toothpicks to dislodge food as they can damage gums and cause bleeding in some cases.
- Avoid foods that contain sugar and starch
It’s difficult, but even if you can’t put a complete stop to them, limit sugary and starchy hits to your teeth as much as possible. Sugar is the prime culprit when it comes to cavities, and it’s in almost everything we eat. Replace the starchy sugary items with fibrous foods instead like fruits, vegetables, and sugar-free dairy products.
Don’t forget regular dental check-ups too, as it’s better to nip things in the bud than suffer from painful consequences later on.
Achieving good dental hygiene isn’t hard. If you are mindful of a few simple things and operate with moderation when it comes to sugar and starch, you can keep your gums and teeth healthy for life.
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