Common Mistakes People Make When Caring For Their Teeth
When it comes to oral care, most people are unaware of the proper practices to clean and protect their teeth. Sometimes we see that even everyday hygiene habits like brushing are performed incorrectly or inadequately. This not only defeats the purpose of cleaning the teeth, but it also adds to overall dental problems.
To help you avoid some basic errors that could cause trouble when cleaning your teeth, Dentists on Bloor has put together a list of the most common mistakes people make when caring for their teeth.
1. Brushing the teeth too hard to clean them better
Many people believe that brushing their teeth harder will take off all the food from them. Also, they feel that the more abrasive their toothpaste is, the better it will remove food particles. This isn’t true, as aggressive brushing will actually damage the teeth and the gums. When brushing, it’s essential to use a soft bristle brush and a gentle toothpaste to avoid scrubbing the teeth too hard and damaging them beyond repair. A hard brush will cause the gums to bleed and recede, exposing more root, and in turn, this will make the teeth more prone to cavities.
2. Avoiding candies and sugar to prevent cavities
While hard candy and sugars do cause cavities, they are not the only food that bacteria in the mouth use to create an acidic environment for cavities to form. Carbohydrates in foods like bread, crackers, pasta, chips, etc. convert to sugar that the bacteria in the mouth use to lower the pH in the mouth.
3. Skipping yearly check-ups
Whether it be due to fear of dentists and dental procedures, the feared cost of treatment, or simply due to laziness, regular check-ups are very important. Regular check-ups can detect and identify oral health problems at an early stage and prevent more significant and more costly treatments
4. Replacing toothbrush regularly
For effective teeth cleaning, change your toothbrush every three to four months. Tooth and gum damage can happen if you use a worn-out toothbrush that has little to no effect.
5. Brush your tongue
Your tongue collects and harbors bacteria. Forgetting to brush your tongue can lead to bad breath and tooth decay, so be diligent about brushing or scraping your tongue.
6. Warning signs
Don’t ignore warning signs such as bleeding gums, dry mouth, and thrush (yeast). These may all be red flags that there may be something wrong, so see your dentist immediately. It is a known fact that gum disease is an increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and preterm childbirth.
7. Avoiding x-rays
Patients refuse to have x-rays as they are concerned about the radiation. While dental x-rays help detect changes in the tooth structure and bone, they emit very low levels of radiation. Now that x-rays are digital and are immediate, the levels of radiation are extremely low. Therefore the x-ray can be very helpful to avoid major problems.
To assess your dental health, and identify the reasons for poor oral hygiene, reach out to the experts at Dentists on Bloor. We are a leading dental clinic in Toronto, ON, and we specialize in a variety of dental procedures designed to improve your oral health. Moreover, our team is very personable and happy to educate you about the best means to achieve an ideal state of oral health.
For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about dental care, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us here.
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