Five Best Ways to Maintain Oral Hygiene

A good oral hygiene is essential for keeping the entire body healthy. It is because if bad bacteria grow inside your mouth, it can lead to illnesses. So, make sure to maintain your oral hygiene, but how do you achieve that? Here’s how to maintain oral hygiene in the five best and proven ways.

1. Brush and Floss your Teeth Regularly

Brushing your teeth is the most important way of maintaining good oral hygiene. Brush your teeth twice a day, once after getting out of bed in the morning and again before going to bed at night. This is done to prevent the food that you ate at night from sticking to your teeth. If any food particles stay stuck in your teeth overnight, bacteria will begin feeding on them and lead to cavities. You should use a flathead soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your teeth.

Besides brushing your teeth, flossing your teeth once or twice a week is the second most important step to ensure good oral health. While brushing may help in removing food particles regularly, sometimes the food may get stuck in between your teeth. Flossing helps in getting rid of those food particles and prevents the formation of cavities in two teeth simultaneously.

2. Visit your Dentist Twice a Year

Keeping close and regular contact with your dentist or hygiene expert is extremely important to maintain oral hygiene. Visiting your dentist frequently helps in identifying any mouth-related diseases at an early stage. This allows you to obtain the treatment for your problem without leading to a point where you have to get your teeth extracted from its roots.

3. Choose Healthy Eating Habits

There are certain foods, such as milk products, fruits, vegetables, and other fluoride-rich food items, that help in maintaining great oral hygiene. Milk and milk products, such as cheese, have calcium and phosphates. These elements help in protecting the enamel – the protective layer that covers your teeth.

Vegetables, fruits, and fibre-rich foods help to generate more saliva in your mouth. Saliva is an excellent cleansing agent that naturally keeps your teeth clean. In addition, the fibrous foods supply minerals to the teeth that are otherwise lost because of bacterial presence in your mouth. It is very important to eat the right food items to keep the bad bacteria away from your mouth.

You may be aware of the fact that most of the common toothpaste that we use has fluoride content in them. Fluoride controls the development of plaque on your teeth, helping you maintain very good oral hygiene. You can eat poultry products, seafood, dehydrated soups, and other fluoride-rich food items to prevent plaque from affecting your teeth. Maintaining a healthy diet is one of the keys to good oral health.

4. Pay Attention to your Tongue Hygiene

When you eat food, some residues may get deposited on your tongue. If you do not clean your tongue regularly, the residual food may accumulate over time and cause multiple types of diseases. You can gently brush your tongue to get rid of remaining food particles and maintain good oral hygiene. Alternatively, you can use a tongue cleaner or gargle your mouth with a mouthwash after every meal. You can also consider using a mouthwash after smoking or drinking acidic liquids.

5. Stay Away from Smoking and Drinking

Smoking tobacco doesn't only affect your lungs, but also has serious effects on your dental health. However, it does more damage to your teeth than you can think. It leads to the formation of tartar, which can weaken your gums. Second, drinking alcohol or other acidic drinks like soda can lead to the settlement of acid on teeth. As a result, cavities may form in your teeth, leading to poor oral hygiene. Therefore, you must limit your soda intake to maintain oral hygiene.

Replace your drink with black and green tea. They have specific compounds, such as polyphenols. These compounds prevent bacterial growth in your mouth. Keeping a check on the bacterial population further aids your mouth to stay clear of plaque-causing bacteria. In case you develop any cavities or other serious mouth-related diseases, it is best to see a dentist at the earliest.

Conclusion

The best health insurance is your one-stop solution to all your health problems, including oral health. Thus, you must always look for insurance that includes doctor visits as one of your health insurance claims. Consider Niva Bupa to find an ideal insurance plan for you and your family.

FAQ’s

1. How often should I brush and floss to maintain healthy teeth and gums?

You ought to brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Floss every day to loosen food particles and plaque between teeth that you can't reach with your brush.

2. Why is regular dental check-up important if I brush daily?

Despite regular brushing, plaque and tartar build up over time and lead to cavities or gum disease. Regular visits to your dentist every six months detect problems early and offer cleaning that brushing cannot.

3. What are the foods that help keep the mouth clean?

Calcium, phosphate, and fluoride-containing foodstuffs, including milk foods, leafy greens, fish, and fruit, harden enamel and promote overall mouth health. Fibrous, crunchy foods, including apples and carrots,also stimulate saliva, which naturally cleanses the mouth.

4. How do smoking and drinking affect the cleanliness of the mouth?

Smoking creates tartar deposits, softens the gums, and causes oral cancers. Fizzy drinks and alcohol are acidic in nature and cause enamel loss, hence making cavities more likely. Steer clear of such habits and you will see a great improvement in your oral and overall health.

5. Is dental treatment and examination covered by health insurance?

Yes, some general health insurance plans, like Niva Bupa, may include dental check-ups or treatment under general well-being benefits. Dental care coverage would have to be ascertained under the policy terms.

6. How often should I brush and floss to maintain healthy teeth and gums?

You ought to brush your teeth in the morning and before bedtime with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. Floss every day to loosen food particles and plaque between teeth that you can't reach with your brush.

7. Why is regular dental check-up important if I brush daily?

Despite regular brushing, plaque and tartar build up over time and lead to cavities or gum disease. Regular visits to your dentist every six months detect problems early and offer cleaning that brushing cannot.

8. What are the foods that help keep the mouth clean?

Calcium, phosphate, and fluoride-containing foodstuffs, including milk foods, leafy greens, fish, and fruit, harden enamel and promote overall mouth health. Fibrous, crunchy foods, including apples and carrots,also stimulate saliva, which naturally cleanses the mouth.

9. How do smoking and drinking affect the cleanliness of the mouth?

Smoking creates tartar deposits, softens the gums, and causes oral cancers. Fizzy drinks and alcohol are acidic in nature and cause enamel loss, hence making cavities more likely. Steer clear of such habits and you will see a great improvement in your oral and overall health.

10. Is dental treatment and examination covered by health insurance?

Yes, some general health insurance plans, like Niva Bupa, may include dental check-ups or treatment under general well-being benefits. Dental care coverage would have to be ascertained under the policy terms.