Most of us know how important it is to brush our teeth regularly and thoroughly, and we’re all conscious at least to a degree of how what we eat will impact on our smile. For most of us then, bad teeth are not the result of negligence or indifference, but rather lack of the right information. Often people mean well and are trying to look after their teeth, but instead end up causing more harm than good. Here then we’ll look at some of the most common mistakes that people make when they’re just trying to do right…
Brushing too Hard
One of the most common ways we inadvertently do damage to our teeth is by brushing too hard which can not only wear away enamel, but worse – wear away our gums causing them to recede, making it more likely that our teeth become loose and eventually fall out. Furthermore, this will also increase your chances of getting an infection (which can lead to the loss of all your teeth), while exposed roots can be incredibly painful. Brushing should be relatively gentle, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also be thorough.
Missing Patches
And by thorough that means brushing all of your teeth and not missing any surfaces – whether they’re at the back of your mouth or on the inside of your teeth. Make a conscious effort to brush every one of your teeth from every angle, and go over again if you’re unsure.
Forgetting Aspects A Good Oral Health Routine
While we all know we should brush our teeth, there are many other important aspects of a good oral health routine that many of us miss out. For instance, if you’re not flossing then you’re missing out on an incredibly important aspect of your oral hygiene. Likewise it’s also very important to make sure that you brush your tongue and the roof of your mouth where bacteria also collects.
Brushing for the Wrong Duration
When you clean your teeth this should take approximately 2-3 minutes, and it should take about this long to make sure that you reach every last corner of your mouth. Once again though, if you brush for too long conversely you can end up damaging your enamel and drying up all your toothpaste. Set a timer a few times, and this should help you to learn intuitively how long the 2-3 minutes feels.
Using Too Much Mouthwash
Mouthwash can be a great product for eliminating bacteria, fighting bad breath and combating infection. At the same time though, if you’re using mouthwash that’s too strong and designed to be used only in case of infection (such as Corsadyl) then this can actually stain your teeth, damage your enamel and do various other harm.
Being Rough With Your Teeth
Finally it’s important that you’re careful not to scratch or grind your teeth during the day, which is something many of us don’t think about. Opening bottles with your teeth, biting down on your cutlery and holding things in your mouth can all cause more damage than you possibly give them credit for.
[box_light]Laura Parker is a student and is very conscious about the health of her teeth. She says that there are some very good clinics for Wisdom Teeth Removal in Perth, WA.[/box_light]
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