More than 3.5 billion people all over the world have at least one oral disease. Of these dental health woes, tooth decay, also known as dental caries, is the most prevalent. Gum disease, or periodontal disease, also affects about half of the global population.
Poor oral hygiene habits, in turn, are some of the top reasons behind those maladies. Such bad habits include not flossing or brushing regularly or long enough. Unfortunately, they can all lead to permanent tooth loss.
For that reason, it’s vital to develop an oral hygiene routine that perfectly suits your busy life. We’ll give you some of the best strategies to include in your daily dental health regimen, so be sure to read on.
Watch Less TV at Night
The average American spends four hours and 30 minutes in front of a TV. That’s roughly the same amount of time spent by a typical person staring at a smartphone. On top of that is the five hours used in front of a laptop.
If you spend that kind of time on such devices, you should invest a few minutes in good oral hygiene practices.
Start by cutting back on your TV time at night so that you can prepare the stuff you need the following day. This way, you don’t have to rush in the morning and spend too little time brushing and flossing. Minimizing your screen time can also help you avoid getting too tired to floss and brush.
Besides, reducing screen time, especially at night, can help you fall asleep faster. This can then give you more time to sleep, letting you wake up refreshed and energized. Since you’ve already prepped your stuff the night before, you have enough time to eat, floss, and brush.
Set Aside Two Minutes for Flossing
No matter how busy you are, you’re sure to have at least two minutes to spare for flossing all your teeth. Flossing is just as important as brushing since the latter doesn’t reach 30% of tooth surfaces. A good quality floss helps get rid of the plaque that toothbrush bristles can’t access.
Many experts also recommend flossing before brushing as the best oral hygiene routine. For starters, researchers found this method to be more effective in plaque removal. Moreover, they noted higher fluoride concentrations in people who floss before they brush.
Keep in mind that fluoride is crucial to your teeth, as this mineral strengthens the enamel. Strong enamel, in turn, is necessary to keep dental decay at bay.
Invest Another Two Minutes for Each Brushing Session
That’s right: you only need to spend at least 120 seconds cleaning your pearly whites. According to experts, this is enough time to get rid of plaque that has since formed from the last time you brushed. Brushing for two minutes can remove about 26% more plaque than brushing for only 45 seconds.
Make sure that you brush your teeth at least twice a day, though, once in the morning and another before bedtime. You can also set the alarm to remind you it’s time to get brushing.
Speaking of which, the best time to brush teeth appears to be at least one hour after meals. Research suggests that brushing immediately after eating may result in tooth tissue loss.
Pack a Dental Travel Kit
Most dental travel kits contain a toothbrush, toothpaste, and dental floss. The toothbrush itself usually has a shorter handle or is foldable. The toothpaste and floss, in turn, often come in smaller containers.
All that makes dental travel kits small enough to fit in handbags or even purses. Most of them also accounts for the 100 ml airport liquid or paste limits. That’s why you can stash one of these kits in your carry-on bag whenever you travel by air.
Even if you don’t travel a lot, dental kits containing these hygiene products are great for office use. You can also get one for each of your kids so that they can practice good oral hygiene even while in school.
Snack on Crunchy and Fibrous Fruits and Veggies
Apples, broccoli, carrots, celery, and pears are rich in fibers that help clean the teeth. They have a crisp, crunchy texture that acts as a sort of gentle scraper on the surfaces of your pearly whites. So, biting down on these fruits and veggies not only nourishes you but also helps get rid of plaque on your teeth.
Moreover, those fruits and vegetables contain nutrients necessary for optimal oral health.
For example, celery has vitamin A, which is essential for gum health and building tooth enamel. Moreover, it has vitamin C, which helps protect you from infections, such as those that affect the gums. It also contains vitamin K, which aids the body in supplying calcium to the bones, including the teeth.
Apples, broccoli, carrots, and pears all contain vitamins C and K, too. They, as well as celery, also contain potassium and magnesium. These two minerals help the teeth and bones use calcium at a more efficient rate.
In any case, it’s best you snack on healthier options rather than sugary or processed food. Besides, you can eat them raw (yes, even broccoli), so you don’t even have to do fancy prep work on them.
In fact, eating them as-is often delivers more nutrients to your body. That’s because cooking can sometimes alter and reduce their nutritional content.
Preserve Your Dazzling Smile with a Good Oral Hygiene Routine
As you can see, an optimal oral hygiene routine can take as little as 10 to 15 minutes each day. That’s about five minutes for each of your after-meal flossing and brushing sessions. That’s a tiny fraction of the time you otherwise spend in front of your screened devices.
So, as early as now, set aside that quarter of an hour a day for a lifetime of dazzling smiles.
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