You have probably seen the inside of a dental clinic at least a few times in your life. Whether you look forward to or absolutely hate it, there is no denying that our teeth are super important and need to be taken care of just like the rest of our bodies! To keep your pearly whites as clean and healthy as possible, here are 10 important things to know that your hygienist may or may not have told you about dental hygiene!
1. Timing Matters
Have you ever wondered if you should be brushing your teeth before or after breakfast? Any time you eat, your mouth becomes acidic. This acidity causes the enamel of your teeth (the hard outer layer) to soften. Brushing your teeth when your enamel is weakened can cause it to wear down. This means that you should be waiting 30-60 minutes after eating before you brush your teeth! If you are anything like me and there is not enough time in your morning routine to do this, brushing before breakfast is a great option!
2. Clean Your Tongue
Your tongue can harbour lots and lots of bacteria accumulated from eating throughout the day. These bacteria are very often the culprit of bad breath. Consider investing in a tongue scraper to keep your whole mouth clean and healthy—I love using the Orabrush. If you still have chronically stinky breath, there may be something else going on, and you can always ask your dentist about it!
3. Just Brushing isn’t Enough
I recently heard an analogy that “brushing without flossing is like using the washroom and only wiping your cheeks.” Humour aside, without flossing, you miss cleaning more than ⅓ of your tooth surfaces. Flossing is the best way to prevent having cavities between your teeth. Traditional string floss is very effective and accessible, but for others who cannot or will not floss daily, you can check out alternatives like the Waterpik or proxy brushes.
4. Don’t Rinse!
Fluoride is the ingredient in toothpaste and some mouthwash that remineralizes (strengthens) your enamel, thus preventing tooth decay and cavities. Once you are done brushing your teeth, you don’t want to wash all that good stuff down the drain! To let the fluoride do the best job it can, once you are finished brushing your teeth like normal, spit out the excess toothpaste, but don’t rinse your mouth! The longer your teeth are exposed to fluoride, the better.
If you really can’t deal with the taste or texture of leftover toothpaste in your mouth, try rinsing with a mouthwash that contains fluoride after brushing. Again, spit but don’t rinse.
5. Ingredients Check
Most kinds of toothpaste have one of these two ingredients: sodium fluoride or stannous fluoride. Both are great as they contain the fluoride needed to prevent tooth decay. On top of this, stannous fluoride also acts as an anti-bacterial agent which helps to prevent gum disease.
Be wary of “natural” toothpastes as well. They can be great, but often do not contain fluoride, so make sure that if you are looking to purchase a “natural” toothpaste, you read the ingredients carefully and choose one that does!
6. Make Sure you are Whitening your Teeth Safely
It is true that things like charcoal and baking soda can whiten your teeth and they do so by scrubbing superficial stains on your enamel; however, it is so abrasive that it can eventually wear down your enamel layer (the white stuff) and begin to reveal the next layer of your tooth—the dentin—which is naturally yellow!
These ingredients can be used safely: If you really want to try them out, look for them in a toothpaste sold at the shops (such as Arm & Hammer baking soda toothpaste). This ensures that the concentration of the abrasive ingredient is regulated and you can rest easy knowing that your enamel is not getting scrubbed away. The most effective way to safely whiten your teeth at home is to use plain old white strips! As long as they contain either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide and hold even contact with your teeth, your pearly whites will get whiter if you use them according to their package instructions!
7. What You Eat Matters
Plaque bacteria (fondly known as sugar bugs by many children) in our mouths feed on sugar to produce acids. This acid can wear away your enamel over time, leaving your teeth very sensitive and prone to cavities, and unfortunately, once it is gone, it does not grow back.
Some of these foods to watch out for are sticky sugary snacks (e.g. candy, dried fruit), sugary drinks (e.g. pop, sports drinks, sugary coffee drinks), foods that are high in acid (e.g. citrus, pickles, wine), and fermentable carbs (e.g. bread, crackers). Of course, you can still have these foods in moderation (and many of them are not detrimental to your overall health!), but it is important to be aware of these sugary and acidic foods. A good habit is to rinse your mouth with water after eating!
8. Bleeding Gums means you SHould Floss MORE
The most common reason for bleeding gums is inflammation due to plaque buildup on the gum tissue around your teeth. Many people are discouraged from flossing if they notice that their gums bleed, but the only way to make sure they don’t bleed is to keep flossing on a daily basis! Inflammation and infection in your gums (gum disease) can eventually lead to bone loss and tooth loss if left unattended, so now is a great time to start flossing. Make flossing every day your New Year’s resolution for 2022!
9. Plaque vs. Tartar
Plaque is a sticky collection of bacteria that is constantly forming on and around your teeth. When these bacteria mix with food that you’ve eaten, the bacteria release acid which is harmful to your teeth. The good news is, this plaque is removed every day when you brush and floss.
Tartar (also known as calculus) forms when plaque is left on your teeth for more than 24 hours. It calcifies, and can no longer be removed by brushing and flossing. That is when cavities can start to form. This is why visiting your dental hygienist for a cleaning is so important so they can carefully scrape it off with specialized tools.
10. Dental health affects your overall health
Research has shown that having poor dental hygiene not only causes issues with your teeth and gums but can also lead to heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s Disease, and even cancer via oral bacteria and the inflammation it can cause. It is important to brush, floss, and go to regular dental checkups and cleanings to protect the health of your teeth and your whole body!
Check out teethtalkgirl.com for many more dental hygiene tips from a professional and don’t forget to go for your regular teeth cleaning and checkup every six months!