Straight Teeth in Less Time
4 Ways Other Than Brushing Or Flossing To Clean Your Teeth And Mouth
Lois Murray
Keeping your teeth clean is an important part of maintaining good oral health. Each day, as you consume food and drink, plaque develops in your mouth. The plaque, which is made from bacteria and food particles, sticks to your teeth and promotes tooth decay. The bacteria in the plaque feeds on the carbohydrates in your mouth and releases acid as a digestive byproduct. This acid demineralizes teeth and results in decay.
In addition, teeth that are not clean promote the growth of anaerobic oral bacteria that cause bad breath. Here are a few ways other than traditional brushing and flossing to promote a clean, healthy mouth:
Oral Irrigators
Oral irrigators release a concentrated stream of water to clean your teeth. The water can dislodge food particles, remove plaque and stimulate gums. In addition, if the water used in the device is fluoridated, it can help harden your teeth and discourage the growth of oral bacteria.
If an electronic oral irrigator is not available, simply rinse your mouth forcefully with fluoridated tap water.
Fluoride increases the acid sensitivity of oral bacteria and causes their digestive process, which is called glycolysis, to stop. As a result, less decay-causing acid is produced. As an added benefit, fluoride attracts calcium and phosphate back to demineralized teeth. The resulting compound that is formed is actually harder than the original tooth material.
Sugarless Gum
Sugarless gum helps clean your teeth by sticking to bacteria, plaque and food and pulling these materials away from the surface of your teeth. When the gum is discarded, the trapped debris is discarded with it. After snacks and meals, chew the sugarless gum for a few minutes to clean your mouth.
In addition, some sugarless gum is sweetened with xylitol. This natural sweetener has anti-bacterial properties to help rid your mouth of oral bacteria.
Cinnamon Gum
Chewing gum that contains natural cinnamon flavoring can reduce the germs that cause bad breath by up to 50 percent. Even cinnamon gum that is sweetened with sugar exhibits antibacterial properties.
Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables
Sometimes the food that you eat can help clean your teeth. Crunchy fruits and vegetables, such as carrots and celery, have a rough fibrous texture that moves plaque from your teeth as you chew.
There are other ways to maintain clean teeth and fresh breath other than standard brushing. Be sure to visit a dentist, like Robert J Bauder DMD, regularly to ensure that any problems with your dental health are caught early. Your dentist will also be able to suggest additional methods to keep your teeth and mouth in optimal condition.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.