Practice Proper Oral Hygiene With These Tips

Keeping your smile looking great requires two main things. First, you have to visit your dentist twice a year for cleanings and checkups. Next, you have to learn how to practice good oral hygiene in your home. By knowing how to properly take care of your teeth in between dental visits, you can keep your smile looking good and your mouth healthy.

If you live in South Bend, you should visit The Dental Center of Indiana for all of your dental needs. We can give your mouth a fresh, clean start. From there, you can use the tips below to keep your smile looking great all year.

1. Brush Thoroughly Twice a Day

The cornerstone of any good oral hygiene routine is brushing your teeth thoroughly. This means that you need to brush your teeth twice every day. When you brush, it removes food particles that get stuck on your teeth. This lessens the chance of bacteria growing inside your mouth.

When are the best times to brush? Try brushing your teeth in the morning when you get up and again at night when going to bed. Also when you are brushing your teeth, do so for two minutes to ensure that your teeth get cleaned properly.

2. Floss Every Day

You might not know that flossing is just as important as brushing. Food particles lead to bacteria growth, so removing as much as possible is important. That is why you have to floss each and every day. Flossing removes food particles that get trapped between your teeth. These are food particles that brushing alone simply can’t remove.

3. Eat Healthy

Did you know that your diet has a big impact on your oral health? It’s true, which is why you should be eating healthy snacks, like veggies. When you snack on sweets that are full of sugar, you are encouraging the development of more bacteria. This is the same bacteria that can lead to gum disease, tooth decay and cavities.

On that same note, try drinking more water throughout the day. Believe it or not, water not only keeps you hydrated but also washes away some of the excess food particles in your mouth. This is an effective way to lessen the amount of debris in your mouth in between brushing. Likewise, you could chew on sugar-free gum as well.

4. Avoid Certain Foods to Reduce Stains

Keeping your smile looking good also means avoiding foods and drinks that may stain your teeth. Coffee, red wine and soda are examples of drinks that can stain your teeth. Sometimes, you can prevent these beverages from staining your teeth if you drink them with straws.

On that same note, there are foods that can stain your teeth. This includes dark berries, chocolate and tomato sauce. The best way to avoid letting these foods stain your teeth is to limit how much of them that you eat.

5. Use Your Teeth for What They Were Meant For

Your teeth are designed to break up the foods that you eat. Unfortunately, many people use their teeth as if they were multi-tool devices, such as using their teeth to open bottle caps or hold items.

When you do this, you weaken your teeth. If you want your teeth to remain strong for years to come, don’t use your teeth for purposes they were not designed for.

6. Use the Right Toothbrush

Using the right toothbrush can really help with keeping your teeth clean. Make sure that your toothbrush has multi-length bristles. Likewise, make sure that your toothbrush has soft bristles because hard ones can damage the enamel on your teeth.

Once you find the right toothbrush, you will want to keep it clean. To do that, don’t share your toothbrush with other people. Also, you should change your toothbrush every three months to avoid the formation of bacteria on the bristles.

Your Dentist Can Help You Improve Your Smile

While using these tips is a great way to keep your smile looking great, visiting your South Bend dentist is the best way to correct larger issues. For example, if you have gaps in your teeth or alignment issues, getting braces can help. At The Dental Center of Indiana, we offer a wide range of braces, including traditional braces and Invisalign. We can help you determine which option is best for you.

Another common issue is clenching or grinding teeth. When you clench your jaw, you are putting extra stress on your teeth. Unfortunately, people tend to do this at night when they are sleeping. As a result, it’s an issue that they don’t know they have or one that they don’t know how to correct.

Thankfully, your South Bend dentist will be able to tell if you have a clenching problem. We can offer you a solution in the form of a night guard too. This type of guard protects your teeth at night while you sleep.

Additionally, the dentist can help you remove stubborn stains that store-bought whitening kits simply can’t remove. Dental whitening services use professional-grade solutions to remove even the toughest stains. These services are perfect for anyone who has developed stains and wants them gone.

Visit Our South Bend Office

Knowing how to take care of your teeth at home is important. However, you can’t do it all by yourself. You will need help from a dental professional as well. Thankfully, our dentist at The Dental Center of Indiana can help you get and maintain a beautiful smile that you will be happy to show off.

We offer general dental services, such as cleanings and cavity fillings, as well as cosmetic services, such as teeth whitening and strengthening. Once we help you get the perfect smile, we can give you even more tips on how to keep it.

Don’t wait any longer to visit the dentist. Our friendly staff members can set up an appointment for you or a loved one today. Give us a call, and take the first step toward a new smile.