Dr. Abc

1. Proper brushing: One of the easiest steps to do to help your teeth keep clean. When brushing your teeth, position the bristles at an angle of 45 degrees near the gum line. Both the gum line and the tooth surface should be in contact with the bristles. Brush the outer surfaces of the teeth using a back-and-forth, up-and-down motion, making sure to be done gently in order to avoid bleeding. To clean the inside surfaces of the teeth and gums, place the bristles at a 45-degree angle again and repeat the back-and-forth, up-and-down motion. Lastly, brush the surfaces of your tongue and the roof of your mouth to remove bacteria, which might cause bad breath.

Try to brush at least twice a day to prevent acid buildup from the breakdown of food by bacteria. However, if your work or activities prevent you from doing this, thoroughly rinse your mouth with water after eating to minimize the amount of food that would serve as substrate for the bacteria.

?2. Flossing: We know, it’s a chore and a lot of times forgetful after brushing if rushing out the door or heading to bed. However, flossing can help you remove food particles and other detrimental substances that brushing regularly cannot. Flossing allows you to reach deep between your teeth where the toothbrush bristles cannot reach or even mouthwash cannot wash away. We recommend flossing at least once a day.

3. Avoid tobacco: This will be a big favor to your teeth. One, it will save you from oral cancer and periodontal complications. Two, it will save you from the countless ill effects caused by the agents used to mask the smell of tobacco. For example, if you smoke a cigarette, you may use candies, tea or coffee to mask the smoky breath and odor. This doubles the amount of damage caused.

4. Limit sodas, coffee, and alcohol: Although these beverages contain a high level of phosphorous, which is a necessary mineral for a healthy mouth, too much phosphorous can deplete the body’s level of calcium. This causes dental hygiene problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Beverages containing additives such as corn syrup and food dye can make pearly white teeth appear dull and discolored. Therefore, it is best to choose beverages like milk, which helps strengthen teeth and build stronger enamel, giving you a healthy, beautiful smile and water which hydrates your body longer than sugary drinks.

5. Consume calcium and other vitamins that are good for the body: You need plenty of calcium for your teeth. It is essential for the teeth as well as your bones. It is better to drink milk, fortified orange juice and to eat yogurt, broccoli, cheese, and other dairy products. You can also take a calcium supplement, taking different doses according to your age and necessity as per prescription. Calcium and vitamin d are necessary for maintaining the health of gums and teeth. Vitamin b complex is also essential for the protection of gums and teeth from cracking and bleeding. Copper, zinc, iodine, iron and potassium are also required for maintaining healthy dental hygiene.

6. Visit your dentist: You should visit your dentist at least twice a year to have a full hygiene treatment performed. Also at these appointments, a comprehensive exam is taken with x-rays to help detect and prevent future dental treatments from occurring.

7. Use mouthwash along side brushing and flossing: Mouthwash is not particularly necessary and not all mouthwashes are useful. Mouthwashes containing Listerine our chlorine dioxide are very helpful because they help to kill and maintain the bacteria in your mouth. It can help maintain good breath as well as help maintain strong teeth. Mouthwash cannot do all the work but if your are already brushing, flossing, visiting the dentist and eating well, mouthwash is the cherry on top that will make your dental health great.

8. Having a toothache or noticing other dental symptoms: ?if you are having tooth and jaw pain make an appointment as soon as possible. Your dentist needs to diagnose the underlying cause and correct it before it turns into a greater problem.

9. Look at the big picture: Everyone understands that you should take care of your teeth to avoid toothaches, maintain your looks and keep dental bills at bay. Many people, however, don’t understand how crucial oral health is to our total health picture. Tooth problems can lead to diabetes, heart disease, systemic infections, an inability to eat or speak properly and other maladies – some life-threatening. Crooked or crowded teeth can contribute to gum disease that can eventually lead to tooth loss. Straight teeth are no longer just for looks.

10. Clean your tongue: ?Clean the surface of your tongue daily. By using a professional tongue cleaner, you remove countless bacteria that otherwise live, particularly on the rougher top surface of your tongue. These can contribute to bad breath (halitosis) and negatively affect your dental health.

A common man follows a standard daily oral hygiene routine, which entails brushing one’s teeth and rinsing one’s mouth. At the most, some people who are extra conscious about their oral hygiene use dental floss or some branded mouthwash for the fresh feeling. But, the question remains, is it enough?

From the time you wake up till the time you go back to sleep, your mouth is susceptible to a large amount of attacks from bacteria, which enter your body through your mouth. This results in unwanted and harmful dental diseases. This can happen in spite of the fact that people regularly and religiously follow their daily oral hygiene as well as their trips to the dentist for regular clean-ups. So what is that extra something that can help get rid of the bacteria trying to take permanent residence in your mouth?

Oil Pulling:

Oil pulling is an ancient and traditional Ayurvedic technique which is your best bet to detoxify your mouth from that pesky bacterium along with whitening and cleaning of your teeth. It is also a proven cure for innumerable diseases like skin infections, arthritis, liver and stomach problems, curing headaches and migraines, throat infections etc. Any type of edible oil can be used for this highly beneficial Ayurvedic technique.

Following are a set of instructions for the process of how oil pulling is done:

1. Oil pulling process should be conducted immediately after waking up before eating or drinking anything.
2. Choose edible oil like sesame, coconut or olive oil for this purpose.
3. Take not more than 2 tablespoons of oil in the mouth and swish it i.e. is move it around the mouth for at least 20 minutes moving it throughout the mouth and along the gums and in between the teeth also.
4. Avoid decreasing the time limit for swishing the oil in the mouth. By decreasing the time you might not be able to completely detoxify your mouth and by increasing the time the risks of absorbing the toxins back in the mouth and stomach are high. To know when the time is right to stop swishing the oil in your mouth, you can out a little oil from your mouth. If the oil has thinned and turned white or milky then it is time to spit out the rest of the oil from your mouth.
5. After spitting out the oil, rinse and gargle your mouth with warm water and use a tongue cleaner to remove all residue of the oil.

Repeat this process everyday for satisfying results.

Benefits of oil pulling:

1. The main cause of bad breath in your mouth is tooth decay which is caused by a bacterium which is called Streptococcus mutans bacteria. Oil pulling is an attested form of Ayurvedic technique which gets rid of this bacterium from your mouth permanently.
2. Teeth and gum related diseases like gingivitis and periodontists are also cured.
3. It helps to reduce in dental cavities.
4. Oil pulling invigorates the lymphatic system by depleting the toxins in the vital organs of the body.
5. Helps in getting whiter and brighter teeth.

While oil pulling is a very involved technique, a quicker way to adopt Ayurveda on a daily basis is the use of tooth powder. Tooth powder is an Ayurvedic replacement to toothpaste without the harmful chemicals (especially fluoride) that go into our daily minty and frothy brushing experience. It has proven to be much more effective than tooth paste in getting rid of yellowness of teeth, gingivitis and bleeding gums.