Lancaster Dentists: “There Is More To Oral Health Than Just Teeth”

When someone asks you “What do you do to keep your dental health in tip-top shape?” you’d probably answer with the usual “Oh, I try to brush my teeth right after I eat.” Well, points to you because that’s definitely good practice. However, brushing is not enough to make me ensure that your oral health is in an excellent state at all times. In fact, tooth-brushing is just like the tip of an iceberg. It’s only clean where you can see. There is some stuff in there that only experts like this female dentist in Melbourne can see.

You know, when we say “oral health” we don’t just mean your teeth. There’s a lot going on there that you may not even have the slightest idea about. Aside from your pearly whites, there are many other parts of your mouth that require careful attention. There’s your tongue, throat, palate, gums and even your inside cheek.

All these parts can have problems; all of them can be ridden with infection so it’s really not just your biters and molars that need care, as this article points out. Remember, what causes tooth decay is bacteria so even if you have a bacterial infection not directly related to your teeth it might still become the case eventually. If you want total oral protection, you should be conscious about these other parts as well.

So what are you to do in order to maintain excellent oral health?

Simple: You just have to practice different dental habits that can completely clean your oral cavity inside and out. This means that you have to go beyond just brushing your teeth. You also have to consider the other parts. Here are some healthy practices you can easily start today: 

Flossing

Most people think that some simply brushing their pearly whites would save them from the horror of tooth decay. Well, it won’t. It certainly helps a great deal, especially if you’re a religious follower of the 2 x 2 rule (Brush twice a day for at least two minutes).

However, brushing your teeth is just one of the many things involved with dental care and while it will help prevent cavities from pestering your teeth, it will definitely not eradicate the threat. Why is this so?

It’s because without you knowing, some bacteria are lingering in your mouth in places that cannot be seen. They are doing nasty work somewhere that is not visible to the naked eye. Now, where on Earth can that be? Well, how about the space in between your teeth.

When you’ve got a tight set of teeth, it’s quite hard to see what’s going on in between them. It’s also hard to clean that area since normal toothbrushes (the kind we often use) cannot reach that far into the crevices. This is where most decays start.

If you’re especially fond of eating sweet treats or meat dishes that really require heavy chewing, then chances are high that food can get stuck in this part of your teeth. According to oral health professionals like the ones from lancasterfamilysmiles.com, if left there for long, metabolized food can increase acid levels on the mouth which makes it easier for bacteria to thrive. Before you know it, your teeth go bad and your breath starts to stink.

In order to prevent this from happening, we should all make a habit of flossing after meals. Flossing is when you use a medical-grade thread to reach the “in-betweens” of teeth. This helps remove hidden food residues as well as plaque. Flossing at least twice daily has exponentially reduced tooth decay in adults and children alike.

Mouth-washing & Gargling

Some people just gargle when they’re conscious about their breath smell – like before a date or a life-changing meeting with the boss. What they don’t know is that mouthwash mainly helps restore the acid (pH) levels in the mouth and throat, denying persistent bacteria a chance to proliferate at a faster rate. When acid levels are low, bacteria have a hard time claiming victory and this prevents decay from happening.  But I guess it does help a lot when dealing with bad breath.

Anyway, instead of making it an occasional thing, make a habit of mouth-washing. Prevent bad breath and tooth decay from taking over your life for good and live with greater confidence!

Samantha

Samantha hails from Virginia and is a proud wife to a retired Deputy Sheriff and mother to two amazing little boys named Jack & William. A veteran product reviewer; Samantha has been reviewing products for 8 years and offers high quality product reviews with original photography.