Mental Health Checklist: Tick Off These Daily Habits To Boost Your Mental Health

Teeth are an asset, right? More importantly than smiling, they help us chew. Gums hold our teeth and the tongue helps us taste all the good food. They all are as important as any other organ in our body. Proper care of all of them contributes to good oral health.

Bad oral hygiene can cause many diseases like diabetes, cancer, gum infections like Gingivitis, and respiratory infections. Periodontal disease (gum disease) can cause kidney disease.

Here Are 7 Best Practices to Maintain Good Oral Health:

• Brush! who doesn’t? – We all know brushing is the foremost important practice to keep our teeth and gums healthy. Brushing takes away all the food particles, plaque, and germs. It is important to brush twice a day and more important to brush before going to bed. It is advised to brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes and in all directions.

  You should change your toothbrush after every 3 to 4 months or as soon as it gets worn out. But it is not important to cover your toothbrush because covering can increase the growth of microbes due to moisture.

• The Floss- Dental floss is a thin cord used for cleaning teeth from between. Flossing removes all the food particles and germs stuck between the teeth, where the toothbrush can’t reach. For flossing, you take the cord or thread and move it in between teeth in an up and down movement. You should floss every day or every alternate day.

  Mouthwash is also useful in removing the food particles that are stuck between the teeth. Additionally, they help with bad breath too. So, use a mouthwash after brushing if you see the need.

• Avoid Smoking- Smoking is neither good for the lungs nor for the teeth and gums. It causes more dental plaque to accumulate which leads to more gum infections. Smoking also reduces the level of oxygen in the bloodstream, due to which the infected gums can’t be healed effectively. So, avoid smoking for that perfect smile.
• Don’t Go Too Sweet- We were all stopped while eating chocolates and candies back in our childhood otherwise, we would have tooth decay. The sugar in them surely does cause tooth decay. It reacts with the bacteria and saliva, and forms more plaque which deteriorates the enamel. Avoid having sugary drinks, foods with processed sugar in them, too many chocolates, and everything that has a lot of sugar involved.
• Water? Water! – Hydrate! Your teeth, gums, and saliva need water too. When the mouth becomes dry, it is an ideal place for microbes to multiply. Dehydration also causes bad breath. You should have at least 8 to 9 glasses of water daily.
• Regular Check-ups- Don’t just visit the dentist if you have a problem but schedule regular checkups to keep an eye on the budding infection or disease. The dentist will also tell you what all to include and exclude in your dental care for better oral health.
• Don’t Forget the Tongue- Tongue gives you the pleasure of taste, you give it the pleasure of hygiene. Your tongue has a lot of bacteria accumulated that shouldn’t be actually there. So, clean it either with a toothbrush or tongue cleaner in a back-and-forth direction, spit out the saliva and then rinse.

Footnote:

Like we take care of our body it is important to take care of our mouth too. Keep in mind these practices next time you think about your oral hygiene and don’t forget to brush before going to bed.