Optimal oral health is not only about getting the perfect smile. It enables us to prevent diseases, maintain overall systemic health, and speak, eat, and socialize comfortably. It contributes to overall health and well-being and makes you feel more confident and self-assured.
An important part of oral health is aligning your jaw and teeth. Likewise, if you have missing teeth, getting dental implants is advised. Over the years, various cities, like Charlotte, North Carolina, witnessed a rise in dental implants by 6.3% from 2019 to 2020, as per the NCDHHS. Moreover, 13% of the implant patients were between 65 and 74. The total number of dental implants may increase by 23% from 2020 to 2026 due to the increased demand.
Keeping these statistics in mind, we’ll discuss the best practices you can adopt to improve oral health and hygiene.
Get Dental Implants
If you’re missing teeth due to injury, decay, or any other problem, getting dental implants as soon as possible is advised to keep the jaw bone sturdy and stimulated. Charlotte in North Carolina, houses highly qualified dental surgeons with years of experience in dental implants and bone grafting to give you the perfect smile and jaw. You can get same-day dental implants in Charlotte, NC, reducing the number of dental appointments and keeping the jaw bone healthy with continuous stimulation.
You can get a single tooth replacement, immediate implants, an implant-supported bridge, or a full-arch restoration after extraction to get that chiseled jawline you had hoped for.
Dental implants prevent your jaw bone from deteriorating and keep teeth in proper alignment to maintain the jaw structure and prevent it from deformation. The biggest advantage of implants is getting a natural smile and saving yourself from long-term oral health issues.
Limit Intake of Sugary Foods
Sugary foods play a major role in forming cavities and tooth decay. Sweet products like candies, sodas, and sugary snacks contain sugars that can get stuck in your teeth and lead to several oral health issues. The bacteria inside your mouth feed on the sugars and produce acids as byproducts. These acids attack and penetrate the tooth enamel leading to cavities over time.
Continuous snacking and regular intake of sugary substances can rapidly deteriorate your tooth and gum health over time as it creates an environment conducive to bacterial growth. The American Dental Association states that regular consumption of sugary and acidic foods increases the risk of dental caries and erosive tooth wear.
Therefore, reducing your consumption of sugary foods and replacing them with healthy snacks like fresh fruits, vegetables, and grains is better. Also, remember to reduce your intake of sugary sodas and replace them with clean and pure drinking water.
It’s necessary to make the consumption of desserts and sweets a standalone practice and take it in moderation. It minimizes exposure of teeth to sugar and limits the chances of tooth decay. And whenever you snack on sweet products, brush your teeth immediately afterward or rinse your mouth with a mouthwash to remove the excess sugars between your teeth.
Ensure Proper Dental Hygiene
One of the most beneficial and easiest habits you can adopt to ensure the best oral health is to take care of your dental hygiene. It involves regularly brushing your teeth, flossing, investing in good mouthwash, and drinking plenty of water.
Fluoride is one of the most important ingredients in toothpaste, mouthwash, and water. As per the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral in water, soil, and air. It plays a major role in preventing tooth decay and cavities by strengthening the tooth enamel, the outer protective layer of teeth.
Therefore, brush your teeth using fluoride-containing toothpaste twice daily for two minutes. Ensure to clean the gums, tongue, upper part of the mouth, and hard-to-reach areas. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to prevent harsh brushing.
Moreover, floss at least once daily to extract the food particles trapped between your teeth, especially if you eat something sweet or chewy. Flossing is an excellent way to reach the areas of the teeth a toothbrush is unable to.
Mouthwash is another alternative to get fresh minty breath within seconds. It treats halitosis and reduces the risk of gingivitis, a type of gum disease. Ensure that your mouthwash also contains fluoride and other important elements per your requirements. You can approach the dentist for recommendations on the best mouthwash for you. However, remember that mouthwash is not an alternative to brushing and flossing but an addition to your daily oral hygiene.
Quit Smoking and Drugs
Excessive smoking and drug abuse can stain your teeth and lead to tooth decay, gum diseases, and even tooth loss. Maintaining oral hygiene without quitting smoking, drinking, and drugs can be challenging as they weaken the immune system and slow recovery from dental procedures.
If you find quitting smoking hard, you can access various resources like nicotine replacement therapy, medications, counseling, and support groups. The same goes for drug abuse. You can check into a rehabilitation center to get the necessary treatment for dealing with cravings and managing withdrawal symptoms.
Highly pigmented alcoholic beverages like red wine can penetrate your tooth enamel and leave a visible stain. Therefore, it’s advised to drink in moderation, limiting your drink to no more than two glasses daily for men and one glass or less daily for women.
Drugs and alcohol can have a drying effect on your mouth, preventing the production of saliva. Saliva plays a significant role in washing away food particles, breaking them into soluble nutrients, neutralizing acids, and preventing bacterial growth. Without enough saliva production, the risk of tooth and gum diseases rises significantly.
Conclusion
Some of the best and proven practices to improve your oral health include proper oral hygiene involving brushing your teeth, flossing, using a good mouthwash, and drinking plenty of water containing fluoride.
Moreover, get dental implants to replace missing or decaying teeth for optimal gum health and healthy jaw bone and structure. It also helps improve facial aesthetics.
Avoid eating too many sugary substances and replace them with healthy ones like fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as sugars lead to cavities and tooth decay.
Lastly, quit smoking and doing drugs, and drink in moderation. Tobacco consumption can severely impact your teeth and gum health by weakening your immune system while drinking stains your teeth.
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