One of the very first things people notice about you is your smile (or lack thereof). You can’t achieve a healthy smile overnight- it takes time and effort.
There are several things you can do to create and maintain a healthy smile.
In this article, we’ll provide 10 things you can do to improve the appearance and overall health of your pearly whites.
Floss Everyday
When you floss, you are removing the plaque from between your teeth and on your gumline. These are places where your toothbrush can’t reach.
Flossing on a daily basis will help you avoid gingivitis and tooth decay. If you don’t remove it, plaque and tartar will build up under the surface of your gum line.
Ultimately, this can lead to periodontal disease, which ends up leading to tooth loss and bone destruction.
In order to properly floss, you’ll need to wrap the floss around your finger and insert it into the space between teeth. Gently slide up and down two or three times.
If you notice that your gums start bleeding, it’s most likely the result of gum disease or gingivitis. If you floss on a daily basis, you can expect it to stop within 2 weeks as long as the gingivitis is mild to moderate.
If you can’t deal with flossing, consider getting an oral irrigator. This is a device that sprays water or mouthwash to remove the food and plaque buildup from between your teeth and at your gum line.
Visit Your Hygienist Twice Yearly
Taking the time to visit your hygienist every 6 months for routine cleanings will help with your oral health and keep your smile flawless.
If you don’t have regular cleanings, you could end up with the periodontal disease. This causes swollen, bleeding, and receding gums. It’s also linked to health conditions such as sleep apnea, obesity, heart attack, diabetes, premature births, and stroke.
In addition to removing stains and tartar from your teeth, your hygienist will screen for health conditions including oral cancer and high blood pressure.
Since many of these conditions manifest in your mouth, your dentist/hygienist can let you know of potential issues so you can follow up with your physician.
Stop Smoking
Smoking stains your teeth. While it’s sometimes a superficial stain that can be polished off, it also can soak into the enamel.
Additionally, smoking can damage your gums, causing them to recede and develop pockets around your teeth. This ends up creating dark spaces between your teeth, making them look much longer than they are.
Finally, it’s harder to reverse gum disease if you’re a smoker.
Limit Coffee, Tea, & Red Wine
Beverages such as coffee, tea, and red wine can stain your teeth. Much like smoking, they build up a superficial stain that can be polished off with regular dental cleanings- but can also result in staining of your enamel.
You can decrease the staining on your teeth by using a straw and possibly decrease your risk of decay.
You should also consider rinsing regularly with water to keep the dark liquids from sitting on your teeth for long periods between meals.
Be Careful Choosing Whitening Products
There is a wide variety of whitening products on the market today: custom trays, gel pens, laser whitening, OTC trays, toothpaste, rinses. These choices can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.
However, each one has specific benefits that target certain areas.
For example, toothpaste/rinses are ideal for those who drink coffee and tea.
The pens are great for touching up small areas.
The custom trays/laser whitening offer the most dramatic results because they are professional strengths.
Purchase a Quality Toothbrush
According to the experts, top-quality electric toothbrushes are clinically proven to remove more plaque/achieve healthier gums than a manual brush.
Many of these now have modes for sensitive teeth and/or whitening. The handles of these toothbrushes are made to last for several years, while the heads will need to be changed as they age.
If you don’t want to invest in a top-quality electric toothbrush, choose a soft-bristled manual one.
While there are medium- and hard-bristled brushes on the market, the dental industry is against them. The stiffer bristles/aggressive brushing will wear the enamel away from your teeth and cause your gums to recede quicker.
Drink Lots of Water
Water is the healthiest beverage you can choose for your body and your smile. It flushes teeth clean and keeps tooth decay at bay.
Tap water is best because it contains fluoride. In many cases, bottled water comes from sources where there’s either no fluoride at all or where fluoride levels are not monitored.
Healthy fluoride levels promote healthy teeth and suppress tooth decay.
Frequently consuming acidic/sugary beverages cause tooth decay rates to increase dramatically.
Improve Other Health Conditions
Other health conditions, such as teeth grinding, diabetes, high blood pressure, and diabetes can have an effect on the health/appearance of your smile. If your body is struggling with one health condition, it’s difficult to treat anything else without also treating it.
Instead of trying to hide your symptoms, there are some things you can do to improve your health.
For example, a healthy diet and exercise can offer dramatic improvements to your body, teeth, and gums.
Visit Your Dentist in a Timely Manner
A dental condition is not going to fix itself. When you don’t treat tooth decay, a small cavity can turn into a large abscess. This means that what could once be fixed with a tiny filling will now require a root canal and crown.
Treating tooth decay early means less invasive dental procedures, which maintain the structure/stability of your teeth. Plus, it keeps costs much lower.
When left untreated, tooth decay can spread to other teeth, resulting in infections throughout the rest of your body.
Brush Teeth Twice Daily
This one should be obvious but there are some that still need a reminder.
Frequent brushing can keep your teeth whiter and healthier because you get rid of the plaque so it doesn’t have time to turn into tartar.
How you are brushing also matters.
You should be angling your bristles toward your gum line at a 45-degree angle. You should use just enough pressure to lighten the tissue slightly. Make small, gentle strokes.
This will remove the most plaque and keep your gums healthy.
Conclusion
One of the first things people see when they meet you is your smile (or lack thereof). This means that you need to be focused on your dental health and work on creating a healthy smile.
Of course, if you haven’t been doing these 10 things, it’s going to take some getting used to. You’re not going to change overnight- but it’s worth investing the time and effort.
A healthy smile and your overall improved health will be your reward.
