Guys! I have a really exciting post for you all today. If you couldn't guess with the tag line... its all about those pearly whites. Dental health is so important! I thought this post was perfect right before Valentines Day.... cause I know all of you will be kissing it up on that day and I want you to be fresh to death. So read on friends. I had my super cute, super smart cousin-Tammy Hewett, RDH-write up some tips and tricks to keeping your mouth healthy. I thought, who better to write these tips than someone who legit went to school to learn how to take care of mouths. Duh! Tam was the obvious answer. Bringing you the top 5 tips for healthy teeth and gums.... 1. Brush 2 X a day... Yes, I know your Dental Hygienist always is lecturing you about brushing 2 X's a day but.... really, you should listen. You know that fuzzy stuff on your teeth and gumline? Well, that's plaque. At first it starts out as a protector but after its stayed in one place for about 12 hours it turns into some pretty nasty bacteria. It can cause some scary stuff- like gingivitis. 2. Flossing is important! Consistency is key with flossing. Your gums need to get use to how often you are flossing and this helps create a habit. Just think... when you don't floss you are essentially skipping about a third of your mouth (some areas just get missed or are hard to get when brushing). Get the floss between your teeth and down to your gumline to disrupt the bacteria growing down in there. 3. Use an electric tooth brush! Not a Spin brush, but a real life electric tooth brush. The reason electric tooth brushes are so highly recommended is because they break up the plaque/bacteria so much faster than a manual toothbrush does. Also, the newer electric tooth brushes control the amount of pressure you are using when brushing so this helps prevent recession and wear on teeth (Side note: Groupon Goods often has nice electric toothbrushes for sale! I've got my eye on THIS one, but there are a ton of different options). 4. Water is the best drink for your teeth as well as your body (read more about why it is good for your body HERE). Remember the pH scale from chemistry in High school (see image below if you don't!)? The pH scale plays a role in your mouth too! Every time you eat/drink something it changes the acidity level in your saliva, which in turn makes your teeth more susceptible to caries (cavities) and also creates an environment where bacteria (the ones that can causes gum disease) can grow out of control. You can still drink your soda and eat your chips, but try to not sip/snack on them for long periods of time. Try to drink/eat it over a 10-15 min time period then rinse/swish with some water after to get the pH back to normal faster. 5. Stay on regular scheduled cleanings with your Dental Hygienist. Why should you do this if you are an awesome brusher and flosser? Well, you know that hard chalky/rocky stuff that we clean off your teeth when you come in for your cleanings? The tartar that is normally above the gums, will be manageable if you stay on your 6 month schedule. When you miss your appointment or wait too long, the tatar can grow below the gumline. If it does, it can cause infections and lead to serious gum disease (which is irreversible!) So listen to your Dental Hygienist and reschedule your cleanings each 6 months so you stay on schedule. Save that date just like you would any other date! To wrap it all up... brush & floss, use an electric tooth brush, drink water, and visit your Dental Hygienist regularly! Honestly, those tips are not anything crazy and I think that EVERYONE has the time to take proper care of their mouth. I hope that you guys found this post helpful- please let me know if you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to get you in touch with Tammy and I'm sure she would be more than happy to help you out with your dental health! Also, I hope you all have a super fabulous V-day, muah! Isn't my valentine the freaking cutest thing on the planet? Insert so many heart eyes here.
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HollieI'm a college-grad, certified group fitness instructor and certified personal trainer looking to get my healthy to the next level. I hope you can find a little something here that will help you on your journey too. Archives
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