Taking care of your teeth daily is extremely important and you are probably aware of the consequences of not doing so. It can cause tooth decay and a myriad of other problems if you are not careful.
The best way to prevent all of this from happening is to make sure that your teeth are not vulnerable to cavities. There are a few ways you can keep your teeth as clean as possible. In this article, we are going to look at how you can go about doing so.
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Cleaning Your Teeth at Home
Brushing and flossing are standard ways in which you should be taking care of your teeth every single day. You should brush your teeth twice a day if possible.
You should also be flossing regularly as well. Make sure you add mouthwash as part of your daily routine.
This type of everyday cleaning is the foundation for almost every good dental cleaning and hygiene plan, to protect not just your dental health but your overall health.
Professional Cleaning
Professional cleaning is the next step you should be taking when it comes to taking care of your teeth. Plaque can build up on your teeth over time and while you may be able to get rid of some of the plaque you may not be able to remove everything.
If plaque is not removed from your teeth it can build up and form tartar. Your dentist will usually do a thorough job of removing all the plaque and tartar to make your teeth clean. However, the plaque and tartar will build up again if you don’t maintain your teeth. This means you need to visit your dentist for regular maintenance.
As mentioned before plaque can build up on the teeth and then turn into tartar. Make sure to visit your dentist and get a professional cleaning at least every 6 months.
There is also toothpaste available that specifically targets plaque and tartar. These should help a bit but always remember that they are not a substitute for a real dental cleaning from your dentist. Your dental cleaning insurance will cover your dental costs for you.
Failure to do regular cleanings often means that you are at risk for gum disease also called gingivitis. Most people realize that they have gingivitis when their gums bleed when they brush or start flossing their teeth.
Food that Clean Teeth Naturally
Wouldn’t it be great if you could eat your favorite foods and get your teeth clean at the same time? This is very possible.
Some foods will naturally clean your teeth as you eat them. You should incorporate them into your diet regularly not just because they have high nutritional value but because of their power for helping to keep your teeth as healthy as possible. The following are some healthy cleaning foods.
Carrots
You have probably heard the benefits of carrots touted because they have a lot of vitamin A in them. Carrots are filled with a lot of fiber and they help to stimulate the production of saliva in your mouth. Saliva is important because it will naturally clean your teeth.
The other great thing about carrots is that they have a lot of B vitamins in them and these are known for their power to fight gum disease.
Apples
It should come as no surprise that apples are also able to clean your teeth and fight off bad breath. The rough, fibrous nature of apples means that they clean teeth in much the same way that a toothbrush would.
Apples are great for removing bacteria from your teeth as well as any debris that is left behind from food. Additionally, apples contain a wealth of acids that will kill any bacteria that want to grow in your mouth and cause you to have bad breath.
When you are eating the apples, make sure that you leave the skin on them. The skin is full of the fiber you need to get the scrubbing action for your teeth.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Another way in which you can clean your teeth using food is by eating dark green leafy vegetables. These vegetables are high in fiber.
Just like carrots and apples, green leafy vegetables are rough enough to help to remove plaque from your teeth. The action of eating the veggie causes scrubbing to take place which helps clean unwanted plaque and tartar off your teeth.
Water
Given the many benefits of drinking water, it should come as no surprise to you that water is also great for keeping your teeth healthy.
When you have a high level of hydration it allows your mouth to produce more saliva and this will help to kill off bacteria in your mouth. This is why ensuring that you are as hydrated as possible is critical to the health of your teeth.
If you eat and don’t have a toothbrush or toothpaste on hand, water is the best solution for you.
Simply rinse and gargle your mouth with it and then this will help to clean your teeth.
Whole Grains
Another great cleaning agent for your teeth is whole-grain foods. These are high in fiber and they also help to produce a lot of saliva. As with other saliva-producing foods whole grains will help to flush out bacteria from your mouth and reduce plaque on your teeth. Try eating brown rice, cereals, and pasta to get this effect.
Oil Pulling
Oil Pulling has become very popular in recent years and it is one of the best ways to keep your teeth clean. The benefits of oil pulling are many for cleaning your teeth. If you want to try this technique there are a few things you should know.
What Is Oil Pulling?
Oil pulling is the process of swishing around oil in your mouth just the same way as you would use mouthwash. The oil is swished around in your mouth for some time to remove bacteria.
The most popular oil for pulling is coconut oil, although Sesame oil is also a favorite. The oil is swished around in the mouth for about fifteen to twenty minutes. After which the oil is spat out. It is important to note that the oil is never swallowed at any point.
Oil pulling should be done before you brush your teeth or floss. It’s best to do oil pulling in the morning before eating anything for the day. This way you will have less debris on your teeth.
Oil pulling when done consistently can help to remove a lot of bacteria to keep your teeth healthy.
Remove Bacteria
You probably know by now how harmful back here can be for your teeth. Bacteria can live in your mouth for long periods if it is not removed. Some bacteria are good while others are bad.
The bad bacteria are what cause bad breath and gum disease. Oil pulling will significantly reduce the number of bad bacteria that are present in your mouth. When you reduce bad bacteria in your mouth you will have fresh breath.
Prevent Cavities
Oil pulling is was very beneficial for preventing cavities. As you probably know cavities are caused by decaying teeth. Oil pulling is also very effective at removing the coating of plaque on your teeth, and this helps to prevent cavities from occurring.
Many people believe that oil pulling is just as effective as mouthwash in removing bacteria from the mouth.
Prevents Gingivitis
It has been found that oil pulling also prevents gingivitis as well. Oils such as coconut oil used in oil pulling have anti-inflammatory properties and it is very effective at helping to reduce or eliminate gingivitis altogether.
Keep Your Teeth Clean
Keeping your teeth clean is something that you should be striving for at all times. There are various methods you can use to make sure that your teeth are healthy and clean to prevent cavities.
Make sure that you are brushing and flossing every day as these are the foundations of good dental health. Additionally, you should make sure you are visiting your dentist at least twice per year. Change your toothbrush every six months to make sure that it is effective at cleaning your teeth.
Try to eat healthy foods that have scrubbing action and can clean your teeth while you eat.. There are so many different foods that can do this, it would be hard-pressed not to find one that you can’t enjoy while cleaning your teeth at the same time.
You can also try oil pulling which has become a very popular method of cleaning the mouth. All of this together should help you to maintain healthy teeth and gums.
