Good oral hygiene is essential. Keeping your teeth and gums free of plaque and food debris ensures that your breath smells good and your teeth stay clean and healthy.
Dental treatment is expensive and neglecting your oral care will hit your pocket, as well as spoiling your appearance.
Surprisingly many people do not clean their teeth properly and rarely change their toothbrush. Dentists recommend that you change your toothbrush every three months.
If you notice that your gums bleed when you brush, that you suffer from bad breath or a bad taste in your mouth and often have debris and pieces of food caught in your teeth, it is time to up your dental hygiene.
The first step is to buy a new toothbrush.
Choosing the right tooth brush for you
Most Dentists recommend that a brush with soft bristles is the best option. This type is best for removing plaque and debris from the teeth. Choose a brush with a small head so that you can reach all the areas of the mouth including the back teeth.
Some people focus only on brushing the teeth that show and when you neglect the teeth that lie at the back of the mouth, you are storing up future problems of decay.
Choosing a toothbrush is a personal issue so go for one that will fit your mouth easily and has a grip that suits you. That way you can maintain the brushing action throughout your mouth.
Many people find that an electric toothbrush is easy and efficient. It can do a better job of cleaning your teeth because the brushing motion remains constant. As with manual toothbrushes, it is important to change the head at least once every three months or as soon as you notice the bristles becoming worn.
Clean your teeth the right way
Professional advice is to brush at least twice a day for a period of at least 2 minutes. Although that does not sound very long, most people brush nowhere near long enough. You should make sure that you brush the inside of your teeth as well as the visible exterior so that you remove tartar build up.
Flossing between the teeth is also important for dental hygiene. Flossing removes plaque that builds up around the gum line and causes bad breath, decay and bleeding.
Most people clean their teeth regularly but often skimp on time and do not change their toothbrush often enough. By making a few simple changes you will make a big difference to your oral health and wellbeing.
