A beautiful smile is just one of the many things that we most desire to achieve as regards our oral health and appearance, and for good reason. After all, your smile and your mouth are often the first things someone will notice about you and can subtly hint at your personality and confidence. Unfortunately, many individuals are embarrassed by their smile and seek to hide it from others. Few individuals understand how simple it is to achieve and maintain a beautiful smile, and many believe that a beautiful smile is something you must be born with. Fortunately, anyone can put in the time and attention necessary to beautify their smile, and can benefit immensely from their efforts.
Perfecting Your Smile
What details do you notice when you encounter a beautiful smile? Most individuals agree that in order to have a beautiful smile, one’s oral health and hygiene must be absolutely ideal–which means clean, healthy teeth and gums. It follows, then, that establishing and maintaining a healthy smile requires that one participate in a few obvious and simple oral hygiene habits.
- Brush your teeth twice a day with a good toothbrush. Harmful oral bacteria build up in our mouths over time, especially when there are leftover food particles lying around. Over time, this bacteria produces tooth-eroding acids, which is what causes decay, infections and diseases. By thoroughly brushing your teeth at least twice every day, you help to eliminate bacteria and leftover food particles, thereby protecting your teeth. Your toothbrush should be firm enough to get the job done, but not so firm that it is abrasive to the surfaces of your teeth. Obviously, you should be able to easily maneuver it to reach all possible tooth surfaces. (Your dentist can help you select the ideal toothbrush for your needs if you feel uncertain about what to look for.) You should replace your toothbrush at least once every three months, or as soon as you notice that the bristles are wearing or fraying.
- Floss your teeth once a day. Flossing completes the job that brushing starts, by getting into the small spaces between your teeth and along your gums that toothbrush bristles are too large for. If your gums tend to bleed every time you floss, or you find it uncomfortable or even painful to floss, make sure you let your dentist know right away. You may have a mild case of gingivitis (gum disease) that will need to be treated before it exacerbates and causes more extensive issues.
- Rinse your mouth with mouthwash. Mouthwash can act like a final quality check when it is used after brushing and flossing. Any bacteria or food particles that have been dislodged from your teeth but are still hanging around in your mouth can be eradicated with a good mouthwash. Again, you should check with your dentist to find the perfect mouthwash, as you will not want to use one with a high alcohol content.
- Avoid consuming excessive amounts of foods that can cause problems with your oral health. Sugar and carbohydrates feed harmful oral bacteria, and therefore are best avoided if one is seeking to achieve a beautiful smile. Highly pigmented foods and beverages, like tea, coffee and tobacco, can cause deep staining that may difficult or impossible to thoroughly remove. The benefit of avoiding these foods and beverages is not only a beautiful smile, but also a healthier, more comfortable body.
- Use natural tooth whiteners. It is not unusual to desire a way to whiten your teeth. Unfortunately, over-the-counter whiteners are not often as effective as you may want them to be. On the other hand, some of the healthiest foods you can eat are also natural tooth whiteners. This includes apples, celery, broccoli, carrots, spinach and lettuce.
A beautiful smile is not only wonderfully satisfying, it is a sign of good oral health and hygiene. For more information about how to achieve a beautiful smile, contact Dr. Saferin today.
