People take a healthy smile for granted until something impedes it (like cavities). But if you don’t practice good oral hygiene, you can develop a cavity or severe illnesses. Unfortunately, you can find these only when you experience pain or an emergency. For example, if the pain becomes too extreme or uncontrollable with over-the-counter pain medicine, you would have to seek more invasive procedures to recover. Hence, it is necessary to take some preventive steps from the beginning to avoid these situations. These include brushing after every meal and seeking regular checkups with the dentist. Scheduled half-yearly or annual dental clinic visits help the dental professional catch the growing issue before it worsens. Here are more things you can do.
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Nagging toothache
A toothache can be a symptom of different issues – one of the more common ones being a cavity. Suppose the pain suddenly subsides. You may think: Okay, I will visit a dental clinic after some time. But wait, as cavities need immediate attention. Then, pain can also happen when your dental filling leaks or crumbles. Pay attention to all the changes occurring in your mouth – gums or oral tissues inside your cheeks and lips, your tongue, palate, and floor of your mouth. If you notice that any dental or oral injury is taking time to heal, such as mouth sores, mouth ulcers, or anything else, you would want to opt for a professional examination. You shouldn’t take any dental problem lightly and seek medical help on time to avoid getting into bigger trouble.
You also get a 24/7 emergency dentist near you in Huntington, NY. So whether it’s a matter of broken tooth, knocked-out tooth, or something else, you again don’t have to wait.
Oral care routine
Ideally, brushing your teeth after every meal, especially before going to sleep, is most recommendable. But if you cannot follow that, make sure to do it twice daily, after getting up and before going to bed, focusing on areas that need more attention. The American Dental Association recommends that people brush their teeth for at least two minutes daily – in the morning and evening, but finding time to brush longer than that is also worth it. Since it can be challenging to track time, you can rely on electric toothbrushes with pre-programmed timers for ease of use.
Toothbrush lifespan
Change your toothbrush at the gap of three months or so. You will be able to identify when it’s time to get a new one because it will no longer be able to clean thoroughly. Do you use an electric toothbrush? You must replace the toothbrush head every three to four months. Over time, bristles wear out and become dented, diminishing their cleaning power. If your brush isn’t performing well enough to give you a good clean feeling, it’s time for a replacement.
Flossing
Regular flossing is the key to preserving a beautiful and healthy smile. While it’s true that dental floss isn’t a new invention, there are many alternatives available for those who find traditional flossing difficult such as interdental brushes or soft picks. Not using these dental tools can increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease due to incomplete cleaning. If you cannot clean the areas between your teeth, consider asking for help from either your dentist or hygienist.
Sugar intake
When you eat sugary foods, it creates a pH level in your mouth. Bacteria feed on these sugars for energy, leading to an acidic by-product that attacks your teeth; the more often and for how long this happens, the weaker your teeth will get and the easier it will be to get cavities. Once you eat something sugary, it takes about an hour before the pH levels in your mouth return to normal (aka not acidic). Filling up on too many sweets could mean spending longer than necessary with higher acidity levels. And it would eventually have adverse effects on your teeth. Also, make sure you eat high-sugar foods as part of a meal rather than between meals as it would control the acidic reaction in your mouth and eventually teeth damage.
Sports injury prevention
You should wear an athletic mouthguard at all times. Protect yourself from getting a sports injury that could cost you thousands of dollars in the long run. Custom-made sports mouthguards provide ultimate protection during contact or non-contact sports. Your mouthguard must fit correctly, providing your teeth with complete coverage. To ensure the total safety of one’s smile and the chance to continue playing without having to undergo extensive repair, it’s a great idea to have a custom-made mouthguard.
Chipped or cracked tooth treatment
Don’t let your teeth fall into disrepair and lose the smile you once had. When something goes wrong with a tooth, whether chipped or decaying, ignoring the problem will increase the likelihood of having extensive treatment, such as root canal therapy. Moreover, if left untreated, the tooth may require extraction. But it’s always economical to fix a damaged, chipped, or rotting tooth when there’s still time. For example, if a filling gets chipped, your dentist can replace it for a bit of cost and without pain or fuss.
Hydration
It’s no secret that water is what the body needs to maintain good health, but it’s a fact that many people don’t drink enough of it daily. Drinking an adequate amount of water ensures proper mouth health by acting as an essential lubricant between your teeth and gums. Interestingly, when you swish around water in your mouth, the chemical reaction with saliva helps neutralize the acids naturally occurring in your mouth, decreasing the risk of bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. Also, the minerals found in saliva help strengthen tooth enamel.
Meeting your dentist once or twice a year can be immensely helpful. So ensure that you do everything to protect your dental health. All these are more about habit formation. Most dental emergencies will be preventable once cleaning and checkups become a part of your routine. It will not be wrong to add that aiming for good oral health is like ensuring well-rounded health.
