You do not have to brush all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep!
It is crucial to keep up with your oral hygiene. It helps to promote good oral and overall health. Not only that, a healthy smile reflects your confidence and boosts your self-esteem. In the modern era, millennials are more obsessed with their smile and dental hygiene. Maintaining healthy dental hygiene reduces the risk of developing dental problems significantly. However, as dentistry advances, the experts now say that the brushing technique matters more than the frequency of brushing. Moreover, the question “How often should I brush my teeth?” holds different answers for different people depending on their dietary and daily habits.
Dental Hygiene and Brushing- What is the Need?
When we eat or drink, bacteria start to harbor in the mouth. Without brushing and flossing, a sticky plaque layer begins to form and adhere to the teeth providing a perfect home for those bacteria. If these bacteria and plaque are not washed out, your oral health starts deteriorating. The soft layer of plaque turns into a solid layer of calculus, leading to the following oral health problems:
Dental caries_
Gum diseases
Bad breath
Tooth mobility
Tooth loss_
Dental problems are indeed as scary as they sound and appear. And their treatment? They can sound even scarier. Once the dental problems initiate, your dental hygiene is no longer in your control. Things in your control are brushing, flossing, and practicing good oral hygiene habits to keep all dental problems at bay.
How Often Should I Brush My Teeth?
The rule of thumb and guidelines, according to the American Dental Association, tell us to brush our teeth twice daily for at least 2 minutes for good dental hygiene. The pattern that most people follow for brushing their teeth is once in the morning after waking up and once before going to bed. That used to be the ideal case scenario.
Things have changed a little now. Experts advise you to brush your teeth after every meal, however, that can sometimes be impractical. You cannot carry your toothbrush to your office or dine-outs. Therefore, the alternative is to rinse your mouth thoroughly after every meal. One major point that you should keep in mind is that you should not go running to the bathroom to brush right after eating. Wait for at least 30 minutes.
If you think that brushing alone can keep up your dental hygiene and promote good oral health, you are wrong here. Brushing has to be supplemented with other oral hygiene practices such as:
Use dental floss
Use mouthwash
Use salt water rinses
Avoid eating sticky and sugary food frequently
Avoid smoking
Avoid sodas and sugary drinks
Make regular visits to your dentist
Here is what a perfect dental hygiene routine looks like:
Rinse your mouth with water
Clean your teeth with a fluoridated toothpaste and soft-bristled brush
Floss your teeth (before or after brushing)
Rinse your mouth with a dentist-recommended mouthwash
Follow this twice daily and boost your dental health
Dental Hygiene for Children and Infants
The above-mentioned hygiene practices are for adults. Adults can take care of themselves and follow dental hygiene advice. However, kids cannot. What should dental hygiene for children and infants look like?
First-time mothers often get confused about when to start brushing their baby’s teeth. As per many experts and dentists, brushing should begin as soon as the first tooth erupts. As for toothpaste, you can use a grain of rice-sized amount of toothpaste.
For kids between the ages of 3 to 6 years, you can teach them how to brush their teeth. Engage them in the habit of brushing twice daily for a minimum of 2 minutes. The sooner the good habits are taught, the better the outcomes are. The amount of toothpaste should be the size of a pea.
The key point to note here is that infants and children can easily ingest toothpaste that may cause dental problems in the long term if it becomes a habit. Therefore, it is crucial to supervise their brushing sessions and ensure they spit and rinse after brushing.
What Will Happen to Your Overall Health if You Don’t Brush Your Teeth?
Oftentimes, we might get lazy when it comes to brushing our teeth, especially after a tiresome day or late return from a party. Not brushing your teeth regularly can lead to long-term dental problems compromising dental hygiene, as already discussed above.
However, do you know compromised dental hygiene and oral hygiene can negatively affect your overall health as well? Poor oral health can lead to an increased risk of certain heart diseases. Moreover, many studies have shown that poor dental hygiene in pregnant women correlates with low birth weights and premature babies. Therefore, no matter how tired you are, never skip brushing your teeth if you want to live a healthy and happy life.
Brush, Floss, Rinse, and Repeat!
Following the ADA guidelines and using the proper brushing techniques are crucial for good dental hygiene and overall health. Brush twice daily for two minutes and practice good oral hygiene habits regularly. If you are still concerned about your dental health, visit your dentist, they know best.
