Did you get your daily dose of smiles?
Studies show that the average American adult smiles 20 times a day. While that might sound like a lot, the numbers pretty low when compared to happy people or children. An exceptionally happy person will smile about 40 times a day, and kids tend to smile somewhere around 400 times, every single day!
Smiling is a powerful action, that can instantly put you and the people around you in a good mood. Plus, saying cheese, and flashing your good looking teeth for the camera, can be the best way to capture the feeling of a moment.
Yet, without the right dental care, your pearly whites can quickly begin to fade. Instead of having strong teeth, your mouth will be full of teeth with chips, cracks, and yellow stains. Soon, you’ll find yourself holding back your smile, even in the happiest of moments.
Do you want to know how to keep your teeth looking good? Read on to learn how to get and keep the smile of your dreams.
1. Brush Regularly for Good Looking Teeth
Brushing your teeth is something you need to do multiple times during the day to keep your teeth clean. Here are the benefits of regularly brushing your teeth:
- Removes plaque
- Gets rid of bacteria
- Good looking teeth without stains
- Prevents gum disease
- Stops tartar buildup
- Prevents tooth decay
Dental plaque, or tooth plaque, is soft and sticky and can easily build up on your teeth. Not only is plaque unpleasant to look at, but it also poses a serious risk to your dental health.
Plaque contains bacterias that produce acid and attack the enamel on your tooth. The bacteria from plaque can also cause permanent damage to your gums. Instead of letting plaque build up on your tooth, you should stop it dead in its tracks with a regular brushing schedule.
When and How Long to Brush
Experts suggest you brush your teeth for at least 45 seconds to achieve minimal results. If you want to achieve the best results you should brush for 180 seconds. They also say you should brush your teeth at least twice a day. Once in the morning, and the next time before bed.
2. Use Fluoride Daily
Brushing your teeth regularly is a great place to start, yet that doesn’t mean you can stop there. You’ll also need to go the extra mile to ensure that you’re brushing your teeth with the best type of toothpaste. Specifically, you should focus on using a toothpaste that has fluoride in it.
Fluoride helps keep cavities away by preventing tooth decay. Products that only use a little bit of fluoride, aren’t effective at giving your teeth the protection they need. Sadly, some dental products don’t contain any amount of fluoride in them at all.
That’s why you’ll need to read the ingredients on the toothpaste you’re buying to be certain that it contains the right amount of fluoride. You can also buy a mouthwash that has fluoride in it if you don’t want it in your toothpaste.
3. Limit Sugar Intake
Your diet plays a major role when it comes to dental health. The foods and beverages you enjoy can directly impact the presence of tooth decay. Here are the different variables that can change how food affects your teeth:
- Form of the food
- Frequency of sugary foods
- Acidity of beverages
- Order you eat your food
- Combination of foods you eat
Foods with empty calories, like candy and baked goods, can harm your dental health. On top of not offering you any nutritional value, empty-calorie foods also contain high amounts of sugar. The sugar they contain can stick to your teeth, beginning the process of tooth decay.
4. Only Use Teeth for Chewing Food
Did your parents ever tell you not to use your teeth as scissors? Opening up a bag of chips, or tearing a tag off a piece of clothing, many adults find themselves using their teeth for activities other than chewing food.
Yet, while it may be convenient to treat your pearly whites like a swiss army knife, that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice for your dental health. Here are the activities you should avoid doing with your teeth:
- Chewing Ice
- Grinding teeth
- Opening items
- Pencil chewing
Since ice is sugar-free, you might think it can’t cause much harm to your mouth. However, chowing down on hard ice cubes can cause your teeth to crack, or chip. The same holds for chewing on a pencil or using your teeth to open things.
Your teeth were specifically designed to help you chew up food, and that’s all you should be using them for. Not only are your teeth important for chewing food, but they can also affect the way the world sees you.
Do you or a loved one have teeth that aren’t straight? We suggest you find out more about how you can straighten your teeth so your smile can shine as bright as can be! Next, let’s look at how often you should be flossing, and when.
5. Floss Every Day
According to the American Dental Association, you should be flossing your teeth twice a day, every day. Some people choose to floss in the evening before going to bed, while other’s floss after each meal. The most important thing is that you floss regularly, no matter what time of day you choose to do it.
Power of Flossing
Flossing, or interdental cleaning, help remove debris and plaque that’s collecting between teeth. Being able to free debris from hard to reach tooth surfaces can greatly reduce your risk of getting gum disease or tooth decay.
What Floss to Use
Most floss today uses nylon or plastic materials, and some are even treated with flavors like mint. It’s up to you the type of floss you want to use. Both wax and unwaxed floss are effective at freeing trapped debris between teeth.
Smile with Confidence
Now you know more about the things you should be doing to improve your dental health. Limiting your sugar intake, while also properly caring for your teeth, will go a long way towards making your mouth happy. Yet, sometimes, even individuals with good looking teeth, find themselves holding back a smile.
Improving your dental hygiene is a journey, not a race, and it can take time for damaged teeth to appear healthy and white again. No matter what condition your teeth are currently in, you should always smile with confidence.
It’s only when you love yourself fully that you’ll be truly motivated to invest in your health. Want to learn more ways to live a fulfilling and healthy lifestyle? Check out our Health section today!
