3 Sacred Rules of Proper Dental Hygiene

By Yoshi Higawa

What lies behind a beautiful smile? Good dental care, of course! No Hollywood smile? No problem. Your teeth still deserve to be tartar-free and your breath, sparkling-fresh. Don't be fooled by evenly spaced pearly-whites; crooked teeth are not the end of the world. Your teeth are only as attractive as you keep them healthy. Clean, stain-free teeth can turn any smile into a starry smile.

The next time you stop to talk to someone, notice how you are first struck by the appearance of his/her mouth and teeth. We are naturally wired for such automatic observation. Often it forces us to take in unsavory details including remnants of the person's last meal (stuck between his/her teeth) or black gum-lines. Appearances apart, unhealthy teeth are home to acid-causing bacteria that trigger unpleasant mouth odors.

Three golden rules to a healthy smile are: Brushing, Flossing,Keeping an eye on the gums.

With Products like Philips Sonicare Toothbrush, you can give your teeth and gums all the TLC they need to stay healthy, shiny, and keep plaque at bay. Let's revisit the 3 basics of healthy teeth.

When you are getting out of bed and into bed, remember to brush your teeth. All it takes is 2 to 2 1/2 minutes per brushing routine. Remember to brush gently and firmly. Scrubbing hard will only harm the protective enamel on your teeth. Refrain from brushing in circles. Keep your brush-strokes vertical. When your brush moves in circles, it chafes against the gums, thus causing more harm than benefit. For effective brushing, start at the gum line of your upper or lower teeth. Position your brush slightly above (or below) the gum line. Now brush in vertical strokes away from the gum line (from top to bottom for your upper teeth, and vice versa for the lower teeth).

The best defense against gum disease and foul odors is flossing regularly to remove plaque and bacteria accumulation. Not only should you floss at before going to bed, it's also important to floss between meals. Waxed floss is generally the easiest to use, especially for those who have tight spaces between their teeth.

A variety of flossing strings and picks are available to suit your needs. Rechargeable holder sticks make it possible to floss with ease, using only one hand.

Monitoring closely the state of your gums will allow early detection of a possible gum disease. The problem with conditionslike gingivitis is that they go undiagnosed for too long and then end up developing into periodontitis and other serious problems. If you experience bleeding gums, shaky teeth or notice inflammation or swelling of gums , you should consult your dentist without delaying. It is much easier to prevent a problem that to deal with it afterwards. Maintaining proper oral hygiene will also help you avoid cavities, and related medical bills. Teeth serve a precious function, that of cutting up and crushing our food before swallowing.

Try to imagine how difficult it would be to eat without our teeth, we might choke of our food, and we would certainly suffer from digestive issues. Having strong, healthy teeth allow us to eat whatever we want without any difficulty or pain. Therefore, we should all adhere to the 3 golden rules of oral hygiene and take good care of our precious set of teeth - its the one one we have. - 29879

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