That you have naturally white teeth or have recently had a teeth whitening procedure done, doesn’t mean you can neglect them. There are things you need to do to keep them that way.
You’ve probably heard it repeatedly how important it is to brush and floss your teeth. These two activities, boring as they may be, help to keep your teeth white and healthy. Brushing and flossing your teeth gets rid of plaque and food particles left on and between the teeth; effectively helping to prevent cavities and gum disease. Proper cleaning of teeth also helps prevent bad breath and tooth loss due to cavities and dental disease. Below are some guidelines to help you maintain a clean, healthy mouth with a bright smile.
- Limit foods known to stain and discolor teeth and avoid smoking.
- Using a soft-bristled toothbrush in a size and shape that allows you to clean all areas of all the teeth, brush your teeth two times a day; preferably in the morning and before going to bed. If you have to open your mouth too wide to the point of straining in order to brush then the toothbrush is too big for you.
- Change your toothbrush after every three months or whenever the brush bristles are worn out. A worn toothbrush with frayed bristles won’t clean your teeth well.
- Use good fluoride toothpaste that is ADA-approved.
- Take the time to properly brush your teeth. The widely recommended practice is to brush teeth for at least 2 minutes.
- Gently brush back and forth using short strokes and make sure you clean all surfaces of the teeth. Clean the inner surface by moving the toothbrush in up and down movements and don’t forget to clean the tongue. Doing this will help get rid of bacteria that usually cause bad breath.
- Tooth brushes even when new don’t reach below the gum line and in between the teeth to get rid of plaque and food lodged in there. To clean these hard-to-reach areas, use dental floss at least once every day before or after brushing.
- Flossing should not be done too roughly such that the experience is painful and neither should it be too gentle that the food doesn’t get out. You can floss using dental floss, water flossers, dental pick or a wooden plaque remover. Take care not to injure your gums.
- Proper flossing technique is important. Wound dental floss of about 18 inches long around your middle fingers and guide it gently between the teeth while holding it tightly between the thumbs and index fingers. Take care not to hurt the gums. Curve the floss into a C when it reaches the gum line. Using up and down movements, rub the sides of each tooth without forgetting the inner surfaces.
- A healthy well-balanced diet will help keep your teeth strong.
- Despite your best efforts to brush and floss your teeth, it is important to keep your dental checkup appointments for your teeth to be professionally cleaned and your overall oral health assessed. Talk to your dentist about other available options for maintaining white teeth. For more information call our dentist in Boston.
