Dentists near you reveal the best practices for good oral health

Teeth perform many functions. They aid in chewing and in breaking down the food into finer particles. Teeth also give a definitive shape to the face and allow us to speak more clearly and distinctively. The importance of teeth cannot be overstated. To have strong and disease-free teeth, it is crucial to maintain good dental health and hygiene. Good oral health is the hallmark of a healthy human.

Let us take a look at some of the best practices that will keep your teeth strong and disease-free for a long time.

Regular Brushing Twice A Day

This is the most obvious yet the most important best practice. Brushing ensures that all the embedded food particles, bacteria, and plaque are removed from your tooth. Regular brushing twice a day pays off in the long run. When brushing your teeth, be mindful of the following:

• Brush your teeth for two minutes at least. After brushing, if your teeth feel squeaky clean, then you should know that you have done a good job.
• Brush after eating foods that are full of sugar. Sugar deposit on the teeth is the number one reason for the development of cavities.
• Brush with a firm hand but in a gentle motion. If you brush too hard, the bristles will scrape the enamel of the tooth. The vigorous mechanical action of the brush can also damage your gums.
• Choose a soft-bristled toothbrush that gets the work done gently. They allow greater flexibility to reach under the gums and other tough spots.

Get Your Teeth Checked Regularly

One of the best approaches to deal with dental health issues is to identify them on spot and resolve them before they become too serious. Visiting the dentist every once in a while for teeth cleanings and checkups ensures that plaque deposition and any cavities are spotted and treated accordingly. This saves a lot of hassle, discomfort, and money in the future.

Avoid Grinding Your Teeth

• A lot of people develop the habit of grinding their teeth when stressed out or bored. This is a bad practice that leads to the eventual chipping and cracking of teeth. Your teeth will become uneven and it may affect their biting action as well. Some people involuntarily grind their teeth while they are sleeping. Putting on a mouthguard is a good solution for protecting nighttime teeth grinding. Mouthguards also protect teeth from sports injuries.

Floss Your Teeth Everyday

• Toothbrushes have their limits. They cannot remove stuck-up food from elusive crevices and complex dental fissures. But dental floss can do this job quite well. The combined action of flossing and brushing ensures that no food particles remain stuck inside your teeth.

The recommended way to floss is to start the process on the upper right section of the teeth and move all the way to the upper left part. Repeat the same procedure with the lower set of teeth. Begin on the upper right, go all the way around to the upper left, and then go from the lower left to the lower right.

Don’t Use Your Teeth As An Opening Tool

• Most of us are in the habit of using our teeth to open different things such as a bag of chips, the top of a bottle, and cut a piece of scotch tape with our teeth. These acts may seem harmless but they have the potential of damaging your enamel and gums. So avoid the temptation of using your teeth as opening tools.

To get the best dental treatment at affordable rates, contact Icon Dental Center. We are located in Everett and Seattle. Call us at 206-255-2882.