Keeping your teeth clean and cared for is an essential part of life, that many tend to overlook. Although we are all taught from a young age that we need to maintain our oral hygiene by brushing our teeth, everyone has a different outlook on what that means. Some believe they only need to brush their teeth at night, or only in the morning. Others are chronic teeth brushers, brushing their teeth multiple times a day, throughout the day. With everyone’s differing opinions, what is the right way to maintain your oral health? The perfect way to maintain your oral health is by brushing and flossing. Seems simple enough, right? Well, it is necessary to brush twice a day, three times if you find it necessary after eating lunch. Brushing your teeth should consist of a toothpaste that benefits your specific oral health, and brushing for two minutes. From there, it is important to not brush too hard, gentle circular strokes is preferred. Picking a toothbrush is also important. Whether you choose to brush by hand or have an electric toothbrush, choosing a small head with soft bristles is recommended by many dentists. This allows for the toothbrush to reach in the hard to get places, such as the back molars, and the soft bristles do not tear up your soft tissue. It is important to remember to replace your brush every couple of months, or when the bristles start to show signs of wear and fray. If the bristles start to get worn down, they can tear away at your gums, leading to sensitivity. Along with brushing your teeth, flossing is equally important. Many tend to gloss over the fact they should be flossing, but flossing and brushing teeth are the perfect duo for great oral hygiene. Floss allows you to reach in between the teeth, where plaque tends to settle. Between the teeth is also where food can get caught, so with floss, you will be able to remove any unwanted debris. This also does not allow tartar to form, because the excess plaque is diminished. Contact your doctor for an appointment or if you have any questions on how you should be properly taking care of your teeth.

Following a practical diet plan can be challenging for some individuals. Which is completely reasonable since food is something that people indulge in for different reasons. Alas, the old saying of “you are what you eat “holds real weight to your oral wellbeing. I think we can all agree that nobody wants a worn down and plaque infested set of teeth. To better assist you in determining how to navigate a healthy diet that profits not only your oral health and your overall wellness all at once we’ve created a small guide that clarifies what food types to stay away from and why.

Extremely Acidic and Overly Sugary Foods

Research studies have shown that microorganisms in our mouths feed on the different substances that make up sugar. For example, if you binge yourself with sweet foods all that sugar begins to coat your teeth slow transforming them into sugary mound of plaque. Think of your favorite box of candy as a trojan horse and your mouth as the city of Troy. Your pretty much secretly inviting sugar to be stored in your mouth and that’ll end up becoming plaque and tartar build up resulting in toothaches and other oral problems

On the flipside of that conversation, excessively acidic foods also pose a huge threat to your teeth. These kinds of foods are already acidic in nature so the acid in these foods will begin to wear down and slowly start to deteriorate your teeth. This usually results in tooth decay and causes bad breath or even the overall loss of your teeth.

Food Isn’t Simply for Fun

At the end of the day food is supposed to provide us with energy making us feel significantly healthy and balanced in all aspects of our lives. It’s not expected that you drop all your preferred sugary foods after reading this, but we at least want you to be mindful and comprehend the damages these foods can cause to your dental healthcare if kept unchecked. If you are still uncertain regarding picking the appropriate foods and want more information, contact our office today to arrange an appoint to talk with Dr. Jeremy Jones. Also feel free to talk with any of our experienced personnel at Dentistry of Fishers we can help with any of your dental related concerns. We are currently located in the Fishers, Indiana area. We look forward to helping you reach you dental healthcare goals.