Keeping your mouth and teeth healthy is a crucial skill. While it has become a common topic of discussion starting at early childhood, it is important to continually reiterate how important oral health is to ourselves and our loved ones. With as second nature as oral care has become, sometimes it takes a back seat in our minds and we get a little lazy. This laziness can have severe consequences for our oral health.
There are some basic tips that we all know about mouth and teeth care such as brushing after eating and flossing daily. Here are some other tips that may slip your mind, or you may not have known at all.
Don’t Forget the Gums
When you brush your teeth, don’t just zoom over the tooth and move on with your life. Leaving your gums unattended can cause them to become red, swollen, and tender. Tilt your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle and brush in a gentle circular motion to include your gums.
Kiss and Tell
The mouth is full of millions of bacteria that can be passed from person to person. Something that may not cross your mind regarding tooth care is being mindful about who you swap saliva with. An innocent 10-second kiss can exchange as much as 80 million bacteria.(1) For the sake of your teeth–and just your basic overall health–be mindful of what kind of mouths you are receiving bacteria from.
Saliva Savior
Saliva is one of the most powerful natural defenses against tooth decay. It contains vital elements such as bicarbonate, calcium, and phosphate that keep your teeth healthy and strong. Some surprising studies have shown that chewing sugar-free gum (particularly with xylitol, which stimulates saliva production) 20 minutes after eating or drinking can help prevent tooth decay by up to 40%.(2)
Preventative Care
Even with excellent dental hygiene, it is difficult to catch all the buildup of plaque at home. Scheduling regular dentist visits is important to fully remove all the firmly stuck plaque. Onsite dentists are an innovative way to provide your employees with the easiest and quickest way to integrate dental visits into their everyday life. As a mobile dentist, Jet Dental will come right to your place of business and provide a fully functional dental office for your employees to enjoy. Completely cut out work lost due to travel and give your business their healthy, winning smiles with the least hassle. Call our office today to talk with a representative about bringing Jet Dental to your office!
(1) Kort, Remco, et al. “Shaping the Oral Microbiota through Intimate Kissing.” Microbiome, vol. 2, no. 1, 2014, https://doi.org/10.1186/2049-2618-2-41.
(2) Sugar-Free Chewing Gum in Oral Health. Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program, Apr. 2015, www.wrigleyoralcare.com/content/docs/WOHP_Clinical_Booklet.pdf.
