Maintaining good oral health is not always about having healthy gums and preventing cavities. Proper dental hygiene is critical to keeping your teeth clean and healthy. Proper care prevents unnecessary dental complications that affect your overall health.

Also, having clean and healthy teeth improves your smile and confidence. Care for your teeth may vary depending on whether you have natural teeth or have undergone some cosmetic and orthodontic procedures. If you are still determining the proper practices, you can consult your dentist during one of your regular dental visits. The following are some of the ways in which you can keep your teeth clean and healthy:

Brush your Teeth Twice Daily

Some particles will lodge in the gums every time you eat or drink something, while others stick to the tooth enamel. When left on your teeth for some time, these particles breed bacteria that can damage your teeth and gums. Additionally, these bacteria can move into your bloodstream and cause serious health complications.

You should brush your teeth at least twice daily to keep food particles off your teeth and gums. The proper brushing technique involves the following steps:

  • Brush each jaw for at least thirty seconds before switching to the other.
  • Brush your teeth in circles to help capture the food particles in the gums.
  • Avoid distractions when brushing your teeth.
  • Rinse your mouth well after brushing.
  • Do not forget to brush your tongue.

In addition to following these brushing tips, you should choose the right toothbrush. Selecting a toothbrush is an excellent step toward optimizing a routine. The factors that you must consider when choosing a toothbrush include:

  • Head size. There is a wide range of toothbrush heads available on the market. Choosing the right head size helps you access different parts of your teeth properly.
  • Bristle design. The different sizes and designs of the toothbrush bristles help remove food particles lodged deeper between the gaps of your teeth.
  • Hand grip. Since you must brush your teeth at least twice daily, a toothbrush with a firm handle is necessary for proper grip.

Consider an Electric Toothbrush

Brushing your teeth is a foundation for oral hygiene and health. However, the type of toothbrush you use could impact your ability to clean your teeth correctly. An electric toothbrush has bristles that vibrate to remove plaque and tartar buildup from your teeth. The following are some of the benefits of using an electric toothbrush:

  • More effective in removing plaque. When food particles remain on the surface of your teeth for a long time, removing them with a regular toothbrush may be more difficult. The constant circular motion from the electric toothbrush helps remove this dirt and prevents bacteria from growing on the surface of your teeth.
  • Easy for individuals with limited mobility. The electric toothbrush will do the most work for you. For individuals with arthritis or developmental disabilities, using this toothbrush will help ensure thorough tooth cleaning.
  • Less waste. You need to replace your toothbrush every three months. With the manual toothbrush, you will need to discard the entire toothbrush. However, an electric toothbrush will produce less waste because you just need to replace the head.
  • Improves oral health for individuals with orthodontic appliances. Cleaning your teeth may be more challenging when you have braces or other dental restorations. An electric toothbrush can focus on each part of your teeth, making cleaning them easier.

Floss Regularly

Brushing your teeth can remove plaque from the surface of your teeth and gums. However, the food particles lodged between the teeth may require extra effort to remove. You will need to floss your teeth at least once a day. The benefits of flossing your teeth include:

  • Remove plaque. Plaque is the sticky film that collects around and between your teeth. Although the substance is colorless, it can be a breeding ground for cavity-causing bacteria. These bacteria produce acids that erode your tooth enamel and cause numerous dental complications.
  • Prevent bad breath. When the food particles on the surface of your teeth begin to form plaque, you may experience bad breath. This could be a complex issue that can lower your self-esteem. Flossing your teeth regularly helps to remove these food particles and enables you to avoid bad breath.

Knowing the right time to floss is a significant part of ensuring you always have clean and healthy teeth. Dentists recommend that you floss before brushing. You can remove the food particles dislodged by the dental floss as you rinse the toothpaste out of your mouth. There are different types of dental floss you can use, including:

  • Dental tape. This floss is flat like a ribbon, making it easier to handle for individuals with large tooth gaps and braces.
  • Standard gloss. Typical dental floss is a thin strand that fits perfectly between the teeth. Dentists may recommend waxed floss for individuals with smaller gaps between the teeth.
  • Super flosses. The super floss has three components that help it work well on natural teeth, braces, and bridges. The stiff part of this type of dental floss helps to clean under the appliances, while the spongy area cleans over and around the appliances.

Use Fluoridated Toothpaste

Fluoride is essential for the development of healthy teeth and gums. While many brands of toothpaste on the market help prevent cavities and improve the health of your gums and teeth, fluoride toothpaste offers a higher concentration of minerals essential for your teeth.

  • Fluoridated toothpaste helps keep your teeth healthy in the following ways:
  • Reverse early signs of tooth decay.
  • Slows down the demineralization process.
  • Prevents the growth of harmful bacteria in the mouth.
  • Remineralizes the tooth enamel.

Professional Teeth Cleaning

Brushing your teeth and flossing can help keep your mouth clean and healthy. However, not all the dirt and stains on your teeth can be removed through these basic forms of dental hygiene. Professional teeth cleaning can help remove these resistant stains and keep your teeth sparkling clean. Your dental hygienist may take these steps in a professional teeth cleaning session:

  • Physical examination. The dental hygienist will examine your mouth before the cleaning process begins. This is done using a small mirror to check for signs of gingivitis or other oral health complications. If you have significant dental issues, they may need to be treated before you undergo a professional cleaning.
  • Removal of plaque and tartar. The dental hygienists will use a small mirror to guide their instruments as they remove the tartar and plaque from their gums and teeth. The duration of your professional cleaning session may be determined by the amount of tartar on your teeth. Brushing your teeth will only prevent tartar from building up. However, professional cleaning may be the only way to remove it once it develops.
  • Toothpaste cleaning. When all the tartar has been removed from your teeth, the processional will brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush. This helps to remove any tartar that could have been left between your teeth. Professional teeth cleaning uses toothpaste with a gritty texture to help scrub all the plaque from your teeth.
  • Expert flossing. An expert flossing session goes further than regular home flossing. The floss the professional cleaning expert uses will help reach the problematic gum areas.
  • Rinsing. When the professional cleaning ends, your mouth, and teeth will be rinsed out using liquid fluoride.

Professional teeth cleaning means paying attention to your routine oral hygiene practices. While this level of cleaning will leave your teeth free of tartar and plaque, you must continue to brush and floss regularly to avoid further buildup.

Make Regular Dental Visits

You do not need to have a dental complication to visit your dentist. You must make at least two dental visits each year. During these visits, your dentist will examine your teeth and mouth. Some of the ways in which dental checkups contribute to a clean and healthy mouth include:

  • Education on proper hygiene. When your dentist spots a dental issue during one of your visits, they can educate you on the proper hygiene practices for healthy teeth. This may be useful, especially when undergoing an orthodontic or cosmetic dental procedure.
  • Identify dental issues. Your dentist examines every aspect of your oral health during routine dental checkups. The dentist may detect the onset of dental issues that may be challenging for you to notice. You can prevent future issues when these complications are treated early.
  • Treatment of bad breath. Chronic bad breath is more than eating some foods or having morning breath. During dental visits, your dentist can pinpoint the exact cause of your bad breath and prevent future occurrences.

Avoid Using Your Teeth as Tools

Even when you follow your oral hygiene routine and see your dentist regularly, bad habits like chewing on ice and using your teeth as tools can cause serious damage. Although the tooth enamel is hard, there are forces that it cannot withstand. You can keep your teeth healthy by avoiding these habits.

Avoid sticky and Sugary Foods

Sugar attracts bacteria to your mouth. These bacteria produce acids that cause dental complications like tooth decay, cavities, and bad breath. Consumption of sugary foods can distort the pH of your mouth. The acidic environment erodes tooth enamel when the mouth's and saliva's PH is below seven.

Sticky foods, however, are difficult to remove from your teeth and gums, making it difficult to clean your teeth. You can replace sticky and sugary snacks with healthy snacks like fruits.

Take Plenty of Water

Water is the healthiest drink available. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in water. Therefore, drinking water is the easiest way to prevent cavities. Water washes away food leftovers and particles that could attract bacteria to your mouth. When you have consumed acidic or sugary foods, drinking water helps to eliminate the residue of sugar and acid that could erode the tooth enamel.

Another way that water can help keep your teeth clean and healthy is by ensuring that your mouth is not dry. A dry mouth creates a conducive environment for bacteria to grow. Water stimulates saliva production, preventing bad breath and tooth decay.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking is detrimental to your oral and overall health. Tobacco could affect your ability to keep your teeth clean and healthy in the following ways:

  • Teeth staining. The tar and nicotine components of tobacco stain your teeth. The yellowing of your teeth caused by smoking may be challenging to clean off through brushing and flossing. In this case, you may require professional dental cleaning to remove the stains.
  • Gum disease. Tobacco consumption affects the attachment of the soft tissues of your teeth to the bones. Additionally, tobacco products can interfere with the normal function of gum tissues. For this reason, smokers are more vulnerable to gum disease.
  • Tooth decay and cavities. When your teeth are stained by tobacco, tartar and plaque, build up faster. These buildups can breed cavity-causing bacteria, which damage your tooth structure.
  • Bad breath. Smoking leaves behind a foul odor that may be challenging to eliminate through brushing. This is because smoking causes inflammation of the salivary glands, resulting in a dry mouth.

Find a Competent Dentist Near Me

A healthy and clean mouth translates to a good smile and overall confidence. People with yellow, discolored, or decayed teeth may suffer from different health complications and feel conscious when interacting with others.

Good oral health starts with keeping your teeth clean. This is done through basic dental hygiene practices like brushing and flossing your teeth. Another way you can ensure a healthy mouth is by visiting your dentist at least twice a year. During these dental visits, your dentist will examine and treat potential dental complications before they worsen.

You will need the services of a skilled dentist for consultation on the right care for your teeth and the treatment of dental complications. At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, we offer expert dental care services for all our clients in Northridge, CA. Contact us today at 818-701-3010 to discuss your dental health needs.