The Pros And Cons Of Dental Implants
Given the amount of information that has been published in relation to how we should look after our teeth, not to mention what advice our dentist gives us each time we visit them, you might expect most people to have a reasonable level of awareness with regards to their oral health.
In fact, most people do indeed know the basics such as regular brushing and flossing, not eating too many sugary foods, and having regular checks-ups. The problem is that not everyone follows those basic oral care principles, which is why dentists have to fill cavities, pull rotten teeth, and replace them with alternatives, on a daily basis.
Even those that do follow a proper oral health routine every day are not fully aware of every aspect of that care. We are not talking about knowing as much as your dentist, or even your dental nurse, but instead, being aware of some of the lesser-known tips about caring for your teeth and gums. Facts such as these…
#1: Brushing Is Not A ‘Fix-All’
One of the common misconceptions about oral care is that brushing your teeth fixes all the problems. It does not. For a start, you need to use the most appropriate toothbrush for your teeth, including the bristle type, you need to brush correctly so that you remove the maximum amount of food from your teeth, and you must follow up the brushing with flossing.
It is a certainty that many people could only tick off one or two of those, and in some cases, none of them. It is a bit like thinking pouring a bucket of water over your car will clean it properly.
#2: Too Much Brushing Can Be Harmful
No, we have not lost the plot. It is in fact true that if you brush your teeth too much it can do more harm than good. By too much, we are talking about both brushing an excessive number of times per day and brushing them too rigorously each time.
Some people are under the impression that if they use a hard-bristled brush and brush their teeth with as much force as they can, it will remove more plaque and food debris. In fact, this can cause your gums to bleed, which is never desirable, and you can damage the protective enamel on your teeth.
#3 Do Not Rinse And Spit, Just Spit!
When most people brush their teeth, they do so with fluoride toothpaste. Whilst there are some who point to some side effects of fluoride, these are rare. In fact, fluoride is proven to help prevent tooth decay and when you brush your teeth there will be fluoride still on and around your teeth.
What most people do at this point is rinse their mouth with water, and spit, but this means all the fluoride is removed from your teeth. Instead, once you have finished brushing, by all means, spit out the excess toothpaste and saliva in your mouth, but do not rinse thereafter.
#4 Do Not Share
It might surprise you but the number of people who share toothbrushes is significant, and if you are one of them, then you are risking a lot. Sharing a toothbrush might seem harmless, but it risks the spread of germs from one person to the other, and that includes oral bacteria such as plaque. Whilst you might share lots of things with your nearest and dearest, be selfish when it comes to your toothbrush, even if it means buying toothbrushes for everyone in your home.
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