When overall health is concerned, the gums and teeth are typically overlooked. Despite playing an essential role in a person’s well being, most people don’t realize the importance of oral health. The idea of your teeth falling out is a horrific nightmare, but not just for cosmetic reasons. Many dentists believe that poor oral health can affect other parts of your body, causing serious health problems, including heart disease and cancer. Protecting your mouth will protect your body overall, so you must do it right. With that in mind, here are ten huge oral health mistakes to avoid.
- Missing That Evening Brush
Most people are naturally compelled to brush their teeth every morning since they don’t want to leave the house with bad breath. You don’t have that motivation in the evening. This means that it’s quite easy to head to bed with unbrushed teeth. Unfortunately, doing so could lead to tooth decay and other oral health problems. After all, the bacteria in your mouth will multiply during the night, especially with food debris to feast on. That is why you must clean your teeth at night too.
- Keeping Toothbrushes Too Long
A toothbrush will scrub away huge amounts of bacteria each day. The trouble is, while your teeth will be left clean, the brush won’t be. Bacteria can easily stick to the bristles of your toothbrush, transferring bacteria back to your teeth as you clean. An easy solution to this problem is changing your toothbrush. Many people wait months, if not years, before buying a new toothbrush. To clean your teeth well, you have to replace yours every three or four months.
- Buying Any Cheap Toothpaste
Although it would be helpful if it were, all toothpaste isn’t created equal. Many people buy whatever toothpaste they can find on sale, but that could impact your oral health. Make sure that you look for an ADA stamp on any oral health products. This stamp is for the American Dental Association, which ensures that proper testing is carried out on toothpaste products. If you’re unsure of which toothpaste to buy, then speak to your dentist about any needs you might have.
- Using Alcohol-Based Mouthwash
Alcohol is often deemed an essential ingredient for cleaning products. After all, alcohol kills many kinds of bacteria. Unfortunately, it can also dry out the mouth, which would leave it susceptible to bacterial growth, along with bad breath. Because of this, alcohol-free products are the best option for a healthy smile. Make sure that you use a mouthwash that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals, but is high in fluoride. Remember to look out for the ADA stamp on the product too.
- Ignoring Any Chipped Teeth
We can chip our teeth in various ways. Simply falling on the ground could result in you losing half a tooth. That chip can seriously affect the structure of the tooth, causing additional chips, as well as cracks. For this reason, you must fix tooth imperfections sooner rather than later. There are a few ways to repair a chipped tooth, but most dentists would recommend veneers. This is because they offer a few more advantages and are typically more affordable than other options.
- Sharing A Single Toothbrush
When a loved one sleeps over, it’s important to be a good host. However, that doesn’t mean allowing them to use your toothbrush. If they’ve forgotten their own, they should go out and buy a new one. When you share a toothbrush, you essentially share bacteria with one another. This bacteria could then cause oral health problems for you both. Having a spare toothbrush at your house is always sensible. This would save not only help your friend but protect your mouth.
- Forgetting About The Tongue
Brushing your teeth involves much more than just brushing the teeth themselves. After all, bacteria can grow anywhere in the mouth but are especially attracted to the tongue. Cleaning the tongue too will scrub away and remove this bacteria from your mouth, leaving it much cleaner. Not only will this reduce your risk of developing oral health problems, but it can improve your breath too. If you have bad breath even after brushing your teeth, you likely missed the tongue.
- Putting Toothbrushes Away Wet
People usually store their toothbrushes in a cup or holder in the bathroom. This is the best option because it allows the water to drip off and the brush to dry out. When you’re traveling, however, you might keep your brush in a travel case or cosmetic bag. It’s important that you allow your toothbrush to dry fully before putting it away. Bacteria love warm and moist spaces, so they would thrive in a damp case. Leaving your brush to dry would help to keep it hygienic.
- Brushing After Drinking Coffee
Everyone knows that coffee can stain your teeth. That is why many people attempt to resolve the issue by brushing their teeth straight after finishing a beverage. The only trouble is, coffee is incredibly acidic, which means that brushing too soon could cause even more damage. It’s much better to wait for at least thirty minutes before brushing your teeth. This gives the pH in your mouth time to neutralize. For a cleaner feeling right away, you should drink a glass of water.
- Canceling Dental Check-Ups
Even when taking good care of your teeth, you must still attend regular dentist appointments. Unless you do, a serious oral health problem could go unnoticed. Many people avoid the dentist because they’re too scared to go. Thankfully, the professionals know that these check-ups are a common phobia. Because of this, they will do everything they can to make it easier for you. Most people are in the chair for less than twenty minutes, so there’s no reason to be worried.
Oral health can have a serious impact on your overall wellbeing. Thankfully, taking care of your teeth and gums isn’t especially difficult. By avoiding the mistakes above, you can prevent many common oral health issues.
