Your teeth will only be as good as how you take care of it. Excuses can be made and accepted if you forgot to brush your teeth when you were ten years old.
But now that you’re in your early stages of adulthood, you might want to take your dental health more seriously as it might have adverse effects on your wellbeing, facial features, and even your breath in the long run. Here is some dental guide from dentists in Nazareth for young adults:
Eat Healthy Foods
Though healthy foods are not really what young adults like to eat daily, maintaining a good and healthy diet while you’re still young can prevent certain disorders and diseases you would most likely develop in your body, especially in your teeth.
Foods high in sugar or acid such as soda, dried fruits, sour candies, citrus, and many others are damaging to your pearly whites as it can cause early tooth decay if not controlled. If you can, limit the consumption of these types of food.
Healthy food groups to maintain to have healthy teeth:
Rich in fiber
Foods that are rich in fiber can increase the production of saliva, which removes cavities by washing away the remaining food particles left in your mouth after a meal or a snack.
Fruits and vegetables
An apple a day truly makes the doctor away. Not only is it good for your overall health, but apples help you cleanse your teeth and fight off harmful bacteria that cause bad breath. You may also want to try other fruits that can kill off harmful bacteria such as bananas and oranges.
Also, green vegetables and raw carrot sticks can help disrupt and clean off harmful bacteria forming within the sides of the teeth and gums.
Dairy
Products made out of dairy contain calcium, vitamin D, and phosphates in them which can repair your teeth’s enamel and it’s natural minerals from consuming other non-healthy foods.
Tea
According to the Listerine website, green tea has natural antioxidants in them that fight diseases and bacteria. They naturally protect your teeth’s enamel and prevent plaque from sticking to the teeth, which may lead to tooth decay if not treated.
Consistent teeth cleaning routine
Regardless if you’re a teenager or in your mid-40s, maintaining a good teeth cleaning routine can help prevent certain gingivitis and tooth decay that if left untreated could potentially lead to more serious issues like tooth loss, gum disease, and many others.
What consists of good teeth cleaning routine:
Brush your teeth at least twice a day
Imagine yourself going to sleep with the whole day’s leftover food and bacteria calling your gums and teeth its home. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth at least twice a day. In the morning and at night.
Always floss
Many people only brush their teeth and neglect the importance of flossing. Though it might be difficult for some, a little practice here, and there could help you prevent tooth decay, and worse, tooth loss.
Mouthwash is important
After brushing, mouthwash brings everything to balance since it brings back the minerals in your teeth, reduce acid, and reach certain areas of your mouth the toothbrush can’t reach. If you’re not a fan of flossing, using mouthwash after brushing your teeth is okay.
Use the right type of toothpaste
Just because it says toothpaste, doesn’t mean it’s particularly suitable for your teeth. Choose a toothpaste that has fluoride elements in it. Fluoride fights the chances of germs and tooth decay from developing as it will form sort of a protective barrier on your teeth.
Prevent injuries on the mouth and teeth
Young adults who are active in sports or any extreme recreational activities are always at risk of body and facial injuries, especially in the mouth.
To prevent any teeth injury accidents, make use of mouthguards, helmets, and face cages. They can help lessen the trauma that’s being brought to your face.
According to WebMD, If one or two of your teeth was knocked-out while doing vigorous sports and extreme activities, it can still be repaired as long as you get to the dentist as soon as possible along with the knocked-out teeth.
Control teeth grinding habits
The occasional teeth grinding is acceptable. But if it becomes a habit, it could cause severe damage and impairment to your teeth.
There are a lot of factors as to what can cause teeth grinding habits. It could either be caused by anxiety, sleeping disorders, or an abnormal bite or misshapen teeth. Good thing there are some ways you can stop this.
How to stop your teeth grinding habits:
Cut off your caffeine intake
If you’re an everyday coffee drinker, you might be at higher risk of caffeine messing with your adrenal function. But if you’re a heavy drinker with no proper sleep at night, coffee can stimulate your muscles, which makes you grind your teeth more. Sometimes even with ferocity.
Don’t chew anything that’s not food
Chewing hard objects such as pens, pencils, and even gums cause the jaw muscles to become used to being clenched where it will eventually lead to grinding your teeth that can leave lasting damage in the long run.
Relax your jaw muscles
To help relax your jaw muscles and lessen your teeth grinding tendencies, try settling the tip of your tongue in between your teeth, or hold up a warm compress from your cheeks down to your jaws.
Always check for early signs of gum disease
Even with good dental hygiene, a healthy diet, and injury prevention routines, one can never be too sure when it comes to gum diseases and tooth loss.
30% of the population has gum disease because it runs in their family. If your family has a long history of gum disease or tooth decay conditions, go to a trusted dentist to have yours examined. The dentists in Nazareth take care of patients suffering from severe dental issues and bring them the hope of a new smile.
Summed Up Wisdom
Prevention is always better than cure. Starting a good and regular dental care habit while still young can prevent any gum infections, tooth decay, and cavities from showing up sooner than you’ll realize. The information on this guide might be simple but could really make a difference in your dental health.
Author’s Bio
Dr. Marwan Bassil, DMD, has been practicing dentistry in New Jersey since 1998. He received his dental degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ in Newark, New Jersey. He completed his Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in southern New Jersey. Dr. Bassil is a member of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), American Dental Association (ADA), Pennsylvania Dental Association (PDA), New Jersey Dental Association (NJDA), and The International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT). He is a founding dentist at both Bridgewater Family Dental and Northstar Dental Care and is certified in implantology, full-mouth reconstruction, and INVISALIGN (Clear braces).