Your teeth are a very important part of your body. They help you eat, speak and smile. But what if they fail? What is the best way to prevent that from happening?
In this blog post, we will discuss 15 tips to prevent your teeth from breaking.
1. Brush Your Teeth With a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush Every Day
To ensure that your smile is healthy and strong, you should brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush every day. This will remove any food particles from between the gaps to prevent buildup, which could lead to plaque formation and gingivitis (a type of periodontal disease). Not only does brushing help keep the breath fresh, but it also helps give an aesthetic look for those who want to straighten their pearly whites!
2. Drink Coffee or tea in Moderation
Coffee and tea stain your teeth due to the tannin content that is found in them.
This becomes a problem because tea and coffee contain caffeine, which has been proven to increase the production of saliva, leaving behind harmful acids on teeth. However, there are ways to drink these beverages without causing any damage to your smile!
When you do decide to indulge in one of them, acidic drinks such as orange juice and lemon water can erode tooth enamel just like coffee and tea do, but this time with even greater intensity.
3. Quit Smoking Cigarettes and Chewing Tobacco
Smoking and chewing tobacco can be extremely damaging to your teeth, gums, and even bones! Just like how drinking acidic beverages such as coffee or tea leaves behind acids on the surface of your teeth, which can potentially eat up enamel, smoking has a similar effect on teeth. The nicotine contained within cigarettes is what causes smokers to develop stained, yellowish-brown teeth due to their ability to discolour enamel because of their alkalinity.
4. Maintain Regular Dental Checkups
Regular check-ups and professional cleanings help you keep up on your oral hygiene to prevent tartar buildup, cavities, plaque formation, gum disease and gingivitis.
These procedures also reveal any potential issues that have been developing under the surface of your enamel where you would not otherwise be able to detect them! If a problem arises, a dentist can take care of it before it turns into a bigger issue, which would require more time and money spent keeping up with it.
If you don’t want to spend all this money on dental bills because of poor oral hygiene, do yourself a favour by going for checkups regularly so that these problems don’t get out of hand! Some dental practices offer payment plans or finance options to allow you to have the treatment and pay for it over time.
5. Avoid Sugary Foods and Drinks, Which Can Lead to Cavities and Tooth Decay
Food is necessary for survival, but some foods are not too beneficial for your smile. Foods that contain a high amount of sugar will produce acidic byproducts that can cause cavities and tooth decay if left behind on teeth for long enough without being brushed off! Also, the constant presence of simple sugars within the mouth will promote the development of plaque, which can lead to tartar buildup, gingivitis, or even tooth decay.
6. Don’t Hold Sugary or Acidic Foods in Your Mouth for Long Periods
Whenever you eat food such as candy, soda, or even fruits such as oranges and lemons, it is best to brush your teeth right after ingesting them to prevent the sugars from remaining in contact with your teeth long enough for bacteria to produce acids.
If you don’t want to brush right away, then at least rinse your mouth thoroughly to get rid of any sugar that might still be left behind! Keeping a glass of water nearby when snacking can also help ease the process.
Change your toothbrush every 3 months to help prevent transmitting diseases from one mouth to another.
7. Limit how Often you Wear Your Braces
Proper oral hygiene is of the utmost importance for those who are undergoing orthodontic treatment to straighten their teeth.
However, the constant presence of brackets and wires within the mouth can hinder one’s ability to brush their teeth thoroughly, which leaves behind sugar and acids that can cause cavities. This is why it is recommended to remove your braces every once in a while so that you don’t risk developing any kind of periodontal disease or other oral health problems down the road.
8. For Sensitive Teeth, Use Desensitising Toothpaste
A desensitising toothpaste is a great way to help regain the natural enamel-protecting layer of teeth, which can be stripped away by prolonged exposure to hot or cold substances such as water.
Protecting your smile is not an easy task, and it takes a lot of time and commitment to maintaining healthy habits that prevent further damage from occurring! That’s why having and maintaining healthy oral hygiene habits will keep you smiling brightly for many years to come!
9. Wear Protective Gear When Playing Sports
Participating in sports can be a lot of fun, but it comes with certain risks. One risk is the potential to cause severe damage to your teeth, gums, or jaw through sports-related injuries, which can lead to pain, bruising, fractures, swelling, and even bleeding. The best way to prevent any kind of injury from occurring when playing sports is by wearing protective gear such as mouth guards, which can protect your teeth against trauma.
10. Brush and Floss After Consuming Acidic or Sugary Foods and Drinks
Some foods and drinks can cause a lot of damage to teeth after being consumed for too long because the bacteria in the mouth produce acids that corrode enamel.
Acidic fruits such as lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and other acidic foodstuffs such as candy and soda should not be consumed for extended periods because they will do a number on your smile! Brushing after consuming these types of foods is very important, but it’s also important to floss to get rid of any sugar that might still be stuck between teeth.
11. Eat Cheese After Consuming Acidic Foods and Drinks
Cheese contains a substance called calcium which helps neutralise the pH in your mouth. It does this by counteracting the acids that cause decay. That’s why it is recommended to eat cheese after consuming acidic foods or drinks to help restore and maintain a balanced oral pH level.
12. Change the Toothbrush you use Every Three Months or Sooner if it Shows Wear and Tear
Changing your toothbrush every three months is the best way to prevent bacterial buildup between the bristles because old toothbrushes are less effective at removing plaque and other debris from teeth. Brushing should always be done at least twice a day to cleanse away bacteria.
13. Use an Alcohol-Free Mouthwash
Using mouthwash containing a high amount of alcohol can lead to several oral health issues, such as dryness, irritation, infection, and other ailments. Alcohol-free mouthwash that contains fluoride is best because it can help remineralise tooth enamel that might have been worn away by acidic foods or drinks.
14. After Consuming Acidic or Sugary Foods and Drinks, Rinse Your Mouth With Water
Rinsing your mouth with water after consuming acidic or sugary foods and drinks can help balance the pH level in your mouth because it washes away leftover acids and sugars. Who knew that something as simple as rinsing with water could make such a big difference when it comes to oral health?
15. Avoid Chewing ice, Heavy gum, Boiled Sweets, and Popcorn Kernels
Some foods and drinks present a great risk when it comes to tooth enamel because they’re just hard on chompers. For this reason, it’s best to avoid chewing items such as ice, heavy gum, hard candy, and popcorn kernels.
Conclusion
As you can see, many things contribute to your dental health. So what do you need?
You’ll want a soft-bristled toothbrush every day, floss once per day, drink coffee or tea in moderation (no more than 1 cup), and avoid high-risk activities like sports where teeth could be broken.
If these tips aren’t enough for you, contact our team of experts, who will help create an effective plan tailored to your needs.
Let us know if any of the above points have helped improve your oral hygiene!