Five Oral Health Tips That’ll Keep You Smiling

Oral health is easier than many of us think.

It’s really just a matter of brushing, flossing, and keeping away from too many sugary snacks. But it’s not really fun, is it? It’s not a roller-coaster thrill ride. Sometimes you’re just too tired to brush and floss before you go to bed.

But the potential hazards are worse than simple boredom: Aside from the pain, toothaches can cause sleeplessness and poor performance at work. And tooth loss isn’t something any of us can come back from.

But fear not: Oral health is simpler than you think. Just brush two or (preferably) three times per day, floss regularly, and keep your mouth clean. And if you get too tired to brush before bed, just think how much harder it’ll be to get to sleep with a toothache.

Here are a few more tips for maintaining good oral health:

Don’t go to bed without brushing and flossing first. Ever. Any daytime efforts toward good oral health can completely disappear if you go to bed with a mouthful of unbrushed, unflossed teeth. Going to bed without brushing means that every particle of food and tooth-coating substance that’s been in your mouth since last you brushed will be in there all night, with nowhere to go. Without much else to do, these food particles pass the time by picking away at your teeth, creating cavities that, if left unchecked, can require fillings or even root canals. At the very least, you should rinse your mouth out with clean water before going to bed.

Floss methodically. You are flossing, right? We’ll assume you’re flossing. But oral health means more than just swiping the floss between your teeth. To get the most out of your floss, floss gently in a back and forth motion down one side of each tooth along the gum line. Do the same along the other side of your tooth. This removes much more plaque than just bringing the floss straight down and then up between teeth. This method is also very gentle, and won’t make your gums bleed if they’re in bad shape.

Keep those bristles on the soft side. When it’s time to buy a new toothbrush, don’t get one with hard bristles. This is especially true if you have problems with your gums. Tooth enamel is the hardest and most densely mineralized substance in the human body, so you don’t have to worry about harming your teeth with a harsh brush. But hard bristles can hurt your gums, which are considerably more sensitive. And good gum therapy is an important component of any oral health regimen, since gums – to be perfectly blunt – hold your teeth in your head. Take care of those gums – don’t be too hard on them.

Brush your tongue. Brushing your tongue is an important component of bad breath management. Don’t brush it so hard that you gag – just give it a gentle scrub while you’re brushing before bed. It’ll leave your mouth looking and smelling clean and fresh.

You can’t always do it on your own. Brushing at least twice a day, flossing before bedtime and avoiding too many sugary snacks is a great plan. But getting your teeth professionally cleaned is the sugar-free icing on the cake. A dental hygienist can scrape away any plaque buildup and give your teeth a great, deep cleaning that’ll leave them feeling fresh for weeks.