4 Hacks for Boosting Oral Health

Bad oral health is something that affects more people than we might think. It’s estimated that more than a quarter of all Americans are dealing with untreated tooth decay, while almost half of adults aged 30 and older are suffering from gum disease.

The worst part in all of this is that most issues could be avoided if proper care is taken. Another problem is that many people simply don’t have the time to care for their teeth properly, or simply forget to do so. Here are a few hacks you can use to boost your oral health and that of those around you, aside from getting quality Invisalign in Farmington.

Brush Together with Your Kids

If you want to teach your children how to take care of their teeth, you have to start early, and the absolute best way to do so is to preach by example. Children naturally want to imitate their parents, so we would suggest that you get in the habit of brushing your teeth with your child in the morning and before going to sleep.

You’ll see that they’ll start to look forward to this time of bonding and you won’t have to fight them to brush their teeth before going to bed. Even if you don’t go to bed at the same time as them, pretend that you do just for the sake of it.

Try Mouth Strips

Many of us are unaware of it, but people tend to have very bad breathing habits when they sleep. Many will start breathing through their mouth, which is bad for oral health for many reasons. For one, your nose is the best pathway for air as it allows for filtration and heats the air coming in.

But, more importantly, breathing through the mouth creates a perfect environment for bacteria and disease as it will dry it. Saliva does more than break down food to help with digestion; it’s also a natural disinfectant, and a lack of it means that bacteria get to roam free and multiply.

One solution, however, would be to use mouth strips. These are often recommended for heavy snorers and those suffering from sleep apnea using a CPAP machine, but they have surprising oral health benefits. They will help protect your teeth and gums and prevent issues such as halitosis, tooth decay, and receding gums among other things.

Eat Mouth Cleaning Foods

There are foods that are not only tooth-friendly, but will actually help clean them. Most fibrous vegetables with high water content count in this category, such as celery, for instance. Foods like these will remove plaque from your teeth as you eat them.

Other great options include fresh carrots, broccoli, and fruits like apples, among others.  These will allow you to keep your mouth clean between brushes, and leave your breath smelling fresh as well. Make sure that you keep some of these snacks with you in the car and everywhere you go.

Switch to Sugar-Free Gum

Another thing you should do is make the switch to sugar-free gum. Sugar is bad for your teeth, but sugar-free gum could actually act as a cleaning food.

This is because it boosts saliva production, which, like we said earlier, is a natural disinfectant. Be careful with artificial sweeteners, however, as some have been shown to negatively affect the enamel, which is a protective layer that prevents cavities.

As you can see, there are tons of things that you can do to boost your oral health, and they don’t have to be complicated. It really all starts with having a good routine in the first place, and making sure that everyone in the house has one too.