How healthy are your teeth? If you brush and floss every day, that’s a good start, but you still need to take extra steps to make sure your oral health is taken care of. Believe it or not, too many adults and children alike go without dental care. Around 15% of children and 35% of adults haven’t visited the dentist in the past year.
What happens if you let your dental care go? It goes beyond cosmetic problems. You can develop gum disease, lose your teeth, and even increase your chance of other health risks. How can you look after your teeth? Because it’s always better to be safe than sorry, here are 4 hints for smart dental care no matter your age.
1. Have Dental Insurance
The first helpful hint is to simply have dental insurance. For adults, dental insurance is no longer included under traditional healthcare coverage. Adults need a specific dental plan, a type of supplemental insurance, to get coverage. Luckily, dental coverage is a relatively affordable type of insurance, so it’s worth investing in.
Dental insurance includes a variety of benefits, but the biggest one is preventative care. With dental insurance, you can get an x-ray and two cleanings a year for free. This alone will go a long way towards helping you prevent more serious problems with your oral health. Learn more about dental insurance today.
2. Use Fluoride Toothpaste
Have you given a close look at what’s in your toothpaste? Recently, there’s been a recent push towards fluoride-free toothpaste, but this isn’t actually a good thing. Don’t get distracted by whitening elements and exciting flavors. You should be choosing toothpaste with fluoride.
Fluoride is a leading defender against tooth decay. How does it work? It flights germs that lead to decay, and it actually creates a protective barrier around your teeth. Don’t skip the fluoride!
3. Rethink How You Use Mouthwash
Mouthwash is a powerful way to clean your mouth, but it also needs to be used the right way. A lot of people aren’t using mouthwash as it’s intended, and this leads to it not being as beneficial to your oral health.
First, you need to start by choosing the right mouthwash. There are two types: cosmetic and therapeutic. Cosmetic mouthwash can temporarily treat bad breath, but it’s not going to impact your oral health. Therapeutic mouthwash, on the other hand, protects against plaque, gingivitis, and cavities.
Finally, never use mouthwash right after brushing your teeth. Your toothpaste should have a higher concentration of fluoride, and you don’t want to wash that away. Instead, use mouthwash at a different time when it might not be convenient to brush your teeth, like after lunch or after snacking.
4. Eat Crunchy Fruits and Veggies
Finally, for an extra boost that comes from your diet, eat crunchy fruits and vegetables. These crunchy foods contain more fiber, and they’re also the best for your teeth. Overly mushed, processed foods might taste good, but they should be limited to protect your oral health.
Those crunchy fruits and veggies help remove plaque and other food particles that lead to decay. More importantly, they help you produce more saliva, a process that’s helpful for decreasing the acidity in your mouth.
Protect Your Teeth
You don’t have an unlimited supply of teeth to rely on, so take care of the ones you have. Protecting your oral health can feel like a chore, but it’s something worth investing in with these hints above.
Too many adults fail to take care of their teeth correctly, so we can all stand to learn a bit more about our teeth. It’s time to embrace better oral hygiene for both today and the future.
