Oral Care Tips

As said by American model, actress, and producer Tyra Banks, “A Smile is the Most Important Thing You Wear.” A smile is an easy way to connect with another person and to spread positivity, which is why Banks, and other popular figures such as American Actress Connie Stevens, who stated “Nothing You Wear is More Important Than Your Smile”, say a smile is the most essential aspect of everyday attire. As researched by Walden University, smiling is commonly linked to increased mood-enhancing hormones while decreasing stress-enhancing hormones and even increasing life expectancy. 

However, to receive the full benefits of smiling, it is important to ensure that you have a healthy smile. Proper oral care not only provides physiological benefits but also mental and social benefits. Let’s look over some simple oral care tips that will guarantee you can walk out the door every morning with a shining smile. 

Oral care is an unsung hero of everyday life. Not only does it provide physiological benefits such as preventing disease, ensuring proper food and drink intake, and reducing the risk of conditions such as diabetes, but it also provides social benefits. Good oral care prevents bad breath, allows for bright smiles, and supports good speech. Thus, it is important to learn different tips and tricks to ensure your oral care is as good as possible.

The most crucial aspect of oral care is routine. Repetition and consistency are important in ensuring that everyday germs and excess food are properly removed and that your mouth’s complex equilibria stay balanced. Let’s explore four key aspects of a good oral care routine.

Brushing your teeth twice a day is commonly cited as the best practice for oral care routines by many, including the American Dental Association(ADA) and the Mayo Clinic. Brushing your teeth twice a day, preferably in the morning and right before you go to bed, for two minutes at a minimum, helps remove food and plaque from your teeth, ensuring that there is not a buildup of bacteria that can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and more.

Additionally, incorporating floss and mouthwash into your daily routine are great ways to reinforce the benefits of brushing. Flossing does wonders for oral hygiene as it reaches areas that brushing alone cannot reach, especially if you have braces. Flossing is known to contribute to reducing bacteria that result in bad breath, reduce inflammation and the risk of atherosclerosis, a condition where the arteries get clogged, boost your immune system, and so much more. Furthermore, mouthwash is a great additional method of preventative oral care that can assist with reducing gingivitis, a condition that can lead to the inflammation of the gums, and preventing cavities.

Beyond your day-to-day activities, you should incorporate other essential things into your broader oral care routine, such as visiting your dentist and changing out your toothbrush. Dentists are the key to both preventative and treatment methods of oral care. During your regular check-ups, which according to the ADA should be every 6 months, dentists check for tooth decay, plaque and tartar levels, gum health, signs of oral cancer, diabetes, or vitamin deficiencies, and so much more. If your dentist detects anything unusual, they can recommend the necessary treatment steps, which is why you must stay connected with your dentist. 

While using a bad toothbrush is better than using no toothbrush at all, it is best to use one in peak condition. Thus, you should change out your toothbrush every three months to ensure you're still working with a toothbrush with good bristles and an overall clean brush. Working with worn-out bristles can lead to premature gum recession, a condition where gum tissue pulls away from teeth, exposing the roots underneath, and gum inflammation. Brushing with a toothbrush for too long can cause the brush to absorb too much of the bacteria that it brushes off your teeth, meaning that you are essentially using a dirty brush and putting bacteria back into your mouth, which isn’t good.

Speaking of toothbrushes, not only is it vital for you to use new and fresh toothbrushes, but it is also important for you to use good toothbrushes. Beyond routine, using good products can make or break your oral care. If you’ve ever looked down the oral care aisle you’ve likely seen hundreds of different versions of toothbrushes, toothpastes, flosses, and mouthwashes that all advertise themself as the “best”, but according to scientist, dentists, and other professionals, some versions are better than others, so let’s lookover those best versions.

As mentioned previously, using any toothbrush is better than not using a toothbrush at all, but some toothbrushes are better than others. Soft-bristle angled or multi-layered toothbrushes are the go-to recommendation for toothbrushes as they ensure that one does not damage their gums, which is common when using hard bristles, and that the bristles reach a good amount of the mouth. Typically, dentists do not state a preference between electric or manual brushes, so you are good to go as long as your bristles are right.

However, unlike toothbrushes, that can be good in both traditional and modern forms, traditional string floss is typically cited as the best floss to use due to its ability to effectively glide and clean the sides of the teeth without causing harm, floss picks come in a close second especially considering their additional ease of use and cost-effectiveness. However, it is important to note that the “best” floss can be very specific to an individual, as those with braces, certain gum issues, and dexterity levels are recommended to use certain products.

Now, since you have your toothbrush, it’s time to figure out what to look for in toothpaste. Toothpaste has many nuanced aspects, each containing different chemicals and ingredients to deal with various issues. Still, toothpaste is generally recommended to contain fluoride, which helps ensure that cavities do not develop, and does not contain charcoal or hydrated silica(an ingredient typically included in whitening toothpastes). These three elements are the most make-or-break aspects of toothpaste. Other elements to consider are if this toothpaste contains extraneous elements(such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS), a soap that gives many types of toothpaste a foamy texture, that provides individuals with a false enhanced sense of cleanliness with no real added benefit), if this toothpaste have ADA approved breath fresheners, etc.

Finally, there’s mouthwash. Mouthwash is typically placed into two categories: cosmetic and therapeutic. Cosmetic mouthwashes normally temporarily control bad breath and leave behind a pleasant taste, but have no chemical or biological application beyond their temporary benefit. On the contrary, therapeutic mouthwashes have active ingredients intended to help control or reduce conditions like bad breath, gingivitis, plaque, and tooth decay. Similar to toothpaste, different mouthwashes aim to conquer different issues. Still, typically it is best to pick a mouthwash that does the following: contains an antimicrobial agent, has a low alcohol content, contains fluoride, contains cetylpyridinium chloride, and contains chlorhexidine.

When choosing oral care tools, it is important to note that toothbrushes, toothpastes, mouthwashes, floss, and other tools can be certified by the American Dental Association(ADA), which assures a scientific level of quality. Furthermore, visiting your dentist regularly can allow them to assist you with choosing the best products.

Finally, the most important way to maintain good oral health is to monitor what you put into your mouth. Food and drink can greatly affect oral health, and it is important to know what to avoid, moderate, and consume regularly.

Dairy products are great for your oral health. Not only do they provide calcium to ensure your teeth are strong, but the phosphates in dairy products can help balance the pH levels of your mouth. Furthermore, eating cheese can be great for increasing saliva production, and yogurt provides helpful probiotics. Similarly, nuts and leafy greens provide vital chemicals, minerals, and vitamins to your mouth that are crucial for pH levels, teeth, and saliva production.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a phrase commonly told to children to get them to eat the incredibly healthy fruit and according to YouTuber MatPat in his video “Yes, an Apple a Day CAN Keep the Doctor Away!”, and University of Illinois: College of Dentistry, the doctor in question is a dentist. Apples, pears, and other firm, crunchy fruits and vegetables stimulate your gums, reduce the risk of cavities, increase saliva flow, and help clean your teeth.

Polyphenols are a category of naturally occurring chemicals found in various foods and beverages, including tea and coffee. These compounds provide numerous health benefits, such as reducing mouth inflammation, making tea and coffee good things to sprinkle into your daily life.

While you’re probably aware that sugary foods and drinks, without moderation, are incredibly detrimental to your oral health, as they can lead to tooth decay and cavities, it is also important to note that hard and acidic foods and drinks can be bad as well. Hard foods, especially hard candies, cling to your teeth. When this happens, the substance dissolves very slowly, allowing bacteria to feed off it much longer than they would be able to with other foods. Additionally, acidic foods and drinks can dissolve the minerals in your teeth, strip away your enamel, and weaken your teeth. Soft drinks and energy drinks fall into this highly acidic category and should be consumed in moderation.

Finally, while this should go without saying, alcohol and tobacco products should be avoided entirely. Not only can they contribute to health issues such as organ failure, heart issues, nausea, and so much more, but they also stain your teeth, contribute to bad breath, tooth decay, and increase the risk of oral cancer.

So, to try and achieve that picture-perfect smile, it is vital to note a couple of things. First, make sure you stick to a routine that consists of: brushing twice a day, flossing and using mouthwash once a day, changing your toothbrush every 3 months, and visiting your dentist every 6 months. From there, it is important to use the best tools: use a toothpaste with fluoride, a toothbrush with soft, angled, or multi-layered bristles, and use a mouthwash that contains an antimicrobial agent, has a low alcohol content, contains fluoride, contains cetylpyridinium chloride, and contains chlorhexidine. Finally, make sure to follow a healthy diet that features a good intake of dairy, nuts, and vegetables, firm, crunchy fruits and vegetables, and Polyphenols, and avoids high intake of sugar, hard foods, acidic foods and drinks, and completely avoids alcohol and tobacco products.

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