Dental homecare refers to the process of caring for teeth while at home to achieve good oral hygiene. Taking care of your teeth at home takes daily work. You can’t simply go to your routine cleanings every 6 months and expect to have good oral hygiene. Going to the dentist is very important, however, taking care of your teeth at home is important also.
Effects of Poor Oral Home Care
When you do not take care of your teeth and brush them daily or visit the dentist’s office regularly, you are risking having bad breath. This can not only be unfortunate for you, but for those around you. Bad breath is often a symptom of a more serious underlying condition. The odor can stem from a lot of things, but the quickest way to get this problem is by poor brushing habits. Whether that means brushing teeth incorrectly or not brushing regularly enough.
Brushing teeth is very effective in removing food particles in the mouth. If these food items stay for too long in the mouth, they may start to form bacteria and become odorous. The easy fix to this is simply to brush your teeth two to three times daily.
One common side effect of poor oral home care is tooth decay or tooth aches. This is more common in adults. If you are experiencing discomfort when chewing, you should see your doctor immediately. You want to make sure that you are on top of the situation and dealing with it quickly. If your toothache worsens, eating and chewing can become unbearable.
Another problem with having poor oral home care is the hit your confidence can take by having bad breath or less than perfect teeth. Having bad breath or teeth that aren’t taken care of can be a hit to your confidence. This can be even more prevalent if you are working in a job or doing activities that require you to be around a lot of people. Beyond just cosmetic reasons, there are quality of life improvements that taking care of your teeth have. There will be an absence of any pain when chewing. Also, your teeth will be healthier and in turn will function better.
If you are older, you are more likely to experience the side effects of poor oral home care. However, people that are older tend to be more mindful about what they are putting into their bodies. This can be very helpful because a healthy diet is closely related to healthy teeth. Age is not the only factor in having dental problems due to poor oral home care but it is important to note.
Gum disease occurs in the mouth when someone has poor oral hygiene habits. Sometimes, gum disease can make the gums so weak that they cannot hold the teeth in place anymore like they used to. If gum disease is not tended to immediately, it could lead to the teeth falling out, and can spread to other parts of the mouth, which will result in severe pain as a result of swelling.
How to Know If You Have Gum Disease
There are some specific ways to find out if the gum has been infected with any disease and some of them are:
- The softness of the gum
- Slight pains occurring and disappearing at intervals
- Swelling in the affected area; inside and outside
- A constant headache as a result of a toothache
How To Take Care Of Your Teeth At Home
There are various ways to care for your teeth at home, these are just a few. Keep in mind that these are relevant to people of all ages.
- Brush regularly: Brushing teeth regularly is good for your teeth mainly because it removes plaque. This is bacteria that coats the teeth. When left on the teeth for extended periods of time, the plaque begins to cause other issues like cavities. Brushing is an easy way to prevent something like this.
- Diet: Putting the right food into your body is key. Your oral health is closely tied to your overall health, so it only makes sense that a proper diet would be beneficial for your oral health. Stick to calcium rich foods like yogurt, cheese, almonds, dark green leafy vegetables, etc. Also, phosphorous that is found in fish, meat, nuts, etc. can be good for strengthening teeth.
- Make use of mouthwashes: Don’t worry about the light pain when you are using mouth wash. The benefits definitely outweigh the negatives. These washes help eliminate germs in the mouth but should never replace brushing – they should be used as a supplemental form of dental home care. Also, they make your breath smell nice and fresh.
- Always drink water after a meal: This method is useful, but not as useful as some of the methods mentioned above. It does helps to remove food particles in the corners of the teeth and flush them down to the stomach for digestion.