Oral health takes a team effort to achieve a beaming, healthy smile. Our mouth acts as a gateway to our body so our oral health must be in tip-top shape. Oral health encompasses our teeth, tongue, gums, and breath. This segment is going to touch on a handful of tips that can help aid us in having superb oral health.
1. Use a softer bristled brush
When picking a toothbrush, opt for one with a softer bristle. Why? Because a toothbrush with harder bristles is generally too abrasive and can be damaging, especially to your gums resulting in them bleeding after you have brushed. Just because they are gentle does not mean they are not effective; they are still able to remove bacteria and plaque. Even better use an electric toothbrush, it can make it easier to clean those hard-to-reach areas and have been designed to be effective but not abrasive. Replace your toothbrush / brush-head every 3 months to prevent excessive bacteria build-up.
2. Use toothpaste with fluoride
Fluoride is naturally found in the earth's crust and is readily used in toothpaste to help strengthen enamel, the outer layer of our teeth as well as helping prevent dental decay. It is recommended by professionals to use toothpaste that includes fluoride. Fluoride-free toothpaste usually includes ingredients such as baking soda, charcoal, and clay but professionals do not recommend toothpaste with activated charcoal or baking soda as they can be too abrasive and erode enamel.
3. Don’t rush the brush
We should be brushing our teeth for a minimum of two minutes in the morning and again at night. When you are brushing your teeth it is important to pay attention to all the surfaces and use circular motions as well as up and down and side to side to ensure that none of the nasties on your teeth become longer-term guests. Inadequate brushing will result in plaque and bacteria build-up over time, and the possibility of much more severe implications such as tooth decay or gingivitis.
4. Don’t neglect your tongue
The tongue is a big part of our oral hygiene but is often forgotten about when it comes to cleaning. By using a tongue scraper you can remove built-up bacteria that reside on your tongue which will in turn help improve bad breath; the bacteria that are responsible for bad breath generally reside on the tongue.
5. Avoid smoking, vaping and limit sugary drinks and foods
It is widely accepted that smoking is not good for overall health, it is especially unhealthy for the oral cavity. Smokers are three to six times more likely than non-smokers to develop gum disease and tooth decay. Vaping may also have negative impacts on the teeth and gums with resulting teeth discoloration and gingivitis – a form of gum disease.
Excessive amounts of sugar give bad bacteria an endless food source. And when the bad bacteria take over, the result is tooth decay and enamel damage.
6. Have regular dental check-ups
Having yearly appointment with the hygienist and/or a dentist is a key factor in maintaining good oral health. A hygienist is there to make sure the mouth is clean and is free of plaque and build up as possible and will often advise on maintaining dental health like brushing and flossing. A dentist is usually more concerned with the teeth themselves and fixing issues. Either way, seeing a dental professional as part of an oral health maintenance program is going to go al long way top catching issues early and dealing with them.
7. Flossing is very important
Flossing reaches places that the toothbrush cannot which means the gaps between the teeth can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Plaque build-up gives bacteria a place to live and attack the teeth and the gums over time. Flossing is really the only way to keep the gaps between the teeth as healthy as possible. It is important to floss every day before brushing.
8. Incorporate dental probiotics into your oral hygiene routine
If you really want to take your oral health to the next level, then a dental probiotic specifically designed to support the health of your oral cavity is the ultimate addition to your daily routine.
Some people just have an imbalance of bacteria in their mouth. And sometimes no matter what those people do, they may just feel like they continually have issues with their oral health.
Adding in a BLIS Probiotic may help support the health of the oral cavity in a positive way. ToothGuard with BLIS M18™ is a scientifically developed oral probiotic that helps support the health of teeth and gums by crowding out the bad bacteria.
FreshBreath Kit with BLIS K12™ promotes and helps maintain fresh breath by tackling the source of the problem = bacterial imbalance, not temporarily masking bad breath.
Probiotics are generally not quick fixes. Our oral microbiome is influenced by many things and using supplements like BLIS PROBIOTICS are one way of putting good bacteria into the oral cavity to help balance up all the factors that play a role in oral health.
Always read the label and take as directed. See a healthcare professional if symptoms persist. Blis Technologies Ltd. Dunedin. TAPS PP7488
