When it comes to your daily routine, dental hygiene should never be missed. If you don’t take the steps to take proper care of your teeth and gums, not only your mouth may suffer, but your overall health as well. So what common mistakes might you unknowingly be making in your dental routine?
You Don’t Brush Your Teeth Right Before Bed
You might feel that performing your bedtime routine earlier in the night helps you stop eating at night or even helps you fall asleep easier, but this practice can be damaging to your teeth. Your mouth dries out while you sleep and since saliva helps to keep your teeth healthy, your teeth need that special cleaning right before your slumber.
You Eat Late at Night
Late night eating isn’t just bad for your overall health. It’s bad for your teeth too. Eating your last meal of the day a couple hours before bed is ideal for your teeth. That way your digestive system is getting back to normal and your teeth won’t go to bed right after being active or having a layer of food working its way through.
You Brush Too Hard or Too Often
Brushing too hard can actually damage tooth enamel as well as your gums. The idea is to brush away plaque and any food that may have gotten stuck in your teeth, but not to scrub away your actual teeth to the point where they become sensitive. So how do you know if you’re brushing too hard? Make sure while you brush the bristles of your toothbrush aren’t being smashed down against your teeth.
You Constantly Snack Throughout the Day
Just like the rest of your body, your teeth need breaks too. If you’re snacking non-stop, you’re putting your teeth at serious risks for cavities. You’re increasing the likelihood of cavities even further if your guilty pleasures are high in sugar and/or starches. Remember, snacks should be an infrequent treat, not a gift you give yourself all day every day.
You Don’t Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly
You don’t just need regular dentist visits. You also need to regularly replace your brush. Your brush can collect all sorts of germs from your bathroom. Do you really want to be brushing your teeth with bacteria? That doesn’t sound much like a cleaning. So while you might grow attached to your brush, every few months you should just let it go.
You Don’t Scrape Your Tongue
This is such an important part of your dental hygiene routine, but sadly it’s also one of the most missed. Brushing isn’t just about your teeth or even your gums. Your whole mouth needs to be cleaned. Bacteria builds up on your tongue too so don’t let those germs settle at home in your mouth. Scrape them away to keep your tongue and the rest of your mouth truly healthy.
Dental Hygiene Done Right
Taking proper procedures to keep your teeth clean is important to your smile and your overall health. Brushing and flossing aren’t enough. So take the steps to correct any mistakes you might be making, and of course, visit your dentist regularly, and your pearly whites will stay healthy for years to come. Don’t forget to tune in next month for Dental Hygiene Mistake You Might Be Making: Part 2.