When we think of self-care, practices like exercise, healthy eating, mindfulness, and skincare often take center stage. However, one crucial aspect that is often overlooked is oral care.
According to research, oral bacteria can lead to various diseases, such as pneumonia, COPD, acute bronchitis, etc. Among the severe illnesses caused by poor oral hygiene are cancer, diabetes, and kidney diseases. This data underscores the importance of seeking dental services to maintain optimal oral health.
Dental hygiene is not only about maintaining a bright smile, but it’s fundamental to our overall well-being. Neglecting our oral hygiene can lead to various dental issues, such as gum diseases and tooth decay, which can significantly impact the quality of our lives.
Here Are Six Ideas To Make Oral Care A Part Of Your Self-Care Routine
Below, we will explore how you can make oral care a key component of your self-care routine:
1. Consider Treatments
The main aim of self-care is boosting one’s self-esteem. And a bright, healthy smile is crucial to elevate one’s esteem.
Crooked teeth can reflect poorly on one’s self-image, no matter how clean the teeth are. Considering orthodontic treatments is worthwhile in this regard.
Orthodontic treatments are a great solution but can be expensive. Fortunately, affordable alternatives are available. For instance, Damon braces are an inexpensive alternative to Invisalign or traditional orthodontal treatments. So, if you’re willing to get them, look up Damon Braces treatment near me to find a reliable orthodontist.
2. Stick to Healthy Habits
Daily habits like flossing, brushing, and mouthwash are important to maintain your overall well-being since your mouth is the gateway to your body. Neglecting oral health can lead to dental problems and potential health issues throughout your body.
The statistics below highlight how oral health is linked to one’s overall well-being:
- A study published in Internal Medicine Journal found that gum diseases like periodontal disease pose a higher risk of developing diabetes.
- Dental hygiene is even linked to cardiovascular disease because of the bacterium. The bacteria and germs from one’s mouth travel to the heart through the bloodstream, causing inflammation along the heart’s walls.
Therefore, regular brushing and flossing routine is an essential component of self-care.
Here are some tips for incorporating oral health into your daily routine:
- Brush twice a day for at least two minutes.
- Avoid overbrushing as it might cause damage to tooth enamel.
- Include flossing in your daily routine at night to remove food particles and plaque.
- Use mouthwash with fluoride as an active ingredient since it kills bacteria and protects your gums and teeth.
- Don’t use mouthwashes that have alcohol.
3. Schedule Regular Visits to the Dentist
Even if you practice dental hygiene regularly, visiting the dentist at least once every six months is essential.
The dentist can help remove tartar and plaque buildup, inspect your teeth and gum health, and recommend medicated toothpaste and mouthwashes if required. Regular check-ups also allow your dentist to check for any signs of tooth decay. If there is any sign of cavities, the dentist can remove the tooth or recommend a treatment that protects the affected tooth.
4. Eat a Healthy Diet
A healthy diet plays a critical role in oral hygiene. If you’re drinking sodas and items with artificial sweeteners, you will find it severely impacts your gum and teeth health. On the other hand, if your diet is rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, they’ll keep your teeth healthy and protect them from gum disease and tooth decay.
Amongst children, a diet that includes formula milk, candies, and sweetened snacks and juices can cause tooth decay in milk teeth. If their decayed teeth need to be removed, they might not be able to chew their food properly, causing them digestion problems that aggravate later life.
Pulling teeth might also be frightening for little kids, making them fear doctors and dentists even later in their lives. So, a healthy diet and oral routine can save children from decaying teeth and issues in later life.
As for adults, being mindful of dietary choices is crucial to boost the strength and longevity of their teeth. Since an adult’s dietary habits are not monitored by a parent, they often indulge in sugary delights. While rare indulgences might seem harmless, such practices can erode the teeth’s enamel and cause various oral issues.
5. Stay Hydrated
Staying hydrated is also an important factor for oral health. Drinking water washes away the food particles in your teeth and aids in developing saliva, which is crucial for teeth and gum health. If you have a dry mouth, bacteria can spread, causing bad breath and tooth and gum issues.
But ensure you aren’t staying hydrated by consuming artificially sweetened fruit juices or energy drinks. These sweetened drinks do more harm than good for your oral health. Make a habit of keeping a bottle of clean water with you at work or while studying.
6. Quit Smoking
Smoking is undeniably harmful to your overall health, including your lungs and heart. However, you might not know, but smoking also causes dental issues like bad breath, tooth staining, and gum disease. Smoker’s teeth are a phenomenon that causes one’s teeth to stain. Yellowing teeth because of smoking or tobacco use doesn’t only impact the look of your smile but also heightens the risk of tooth decay, gum problems, tooth loss, and mouth cancer.
If you smoke, it even impacts the healing process from other gum and tooth diseases. So, for your overall and oral health, it is highly recommended that you quit smoking.
Conclusion
Oral care is not only crucial to your appearance. It is also important for your overall well-being. This blog discussed some tips that can help you to make oral hygiene a part of your self-care routine. Amongst these tips, the most important ones are brushing and flossing daily, scheduling regular dentist visits, eating a healthy diet, and quitting habits like smoking. If you incorporate these tips in your life, you will achieve a beautiful smile and save yourself from oral diseases that impact the quality of your life.
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