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Dental care

When is the best time to floss?

When it comes to oral hygiene, brushing and flossing come in the first place. No doubt, brushing twice a day is of utmost importance, which is why everyone does that, but what about Flossing? One needs to understand that Flossing is no additional task but complementary to brushing. For the benefits it has, dentists recommend flossing daily along with brushing.

Benefits of Flossing
Now Flossing comes under the activities done for the deep cleaning of the teeth as the purpose to floss is to remove the accumulated food particles and debris from between the teeth and gum. Unlike brushing, you can floss once a day, but it should be done thoroughly. Have a look at the benefits of Flossing:

  • Protective approach- You must be well aware of the fact that the accumulated food invites the harmful bacteria, which further leads to decay. These hidden food remains cannot be cleaned only by brushing as your brush may not reach every corner of your mouth. This is why you need to floss to prevent any buildup of bacterias.
  • Removes bad breath- The accumulated food is also a significant cause of bad breath, which is quite embarrassing. But when you floss daily, you minimize the chances of this lousy breath.
  • Complements brushing- If you only brush and don’t floss, it’s like washing something on the surface and not cleaning it inside. So, brushing and flossing work best in unison. Moreover, flossing pulls out the bacteria trapped in the tight spaces between the teeth and gums that are left after brushing.
  • Keep away gum diseases- The fact this accumulation of food, plaque formation if not stopped, gradually leads to causing the severe gum diseases, that can leave you lots of pain and disgust. Flossing helps you avoid it by deterring the growth of bacterias at the root level.

The right time to floss
Now, many people are confused about the right time to floss, which hinders them from gaining the desired results. For this, several people might tell you that the flossing time depends on your convenience, which is why you can floss at any time of the day, provided you do it appropriately. Here you need to understand that if you floss before brushing your teeth, you can easily remove the loose debris with the brush. Whereas when you do it in reverse order, prior brushing will lose the plaque, which eases the flossing process. Note that unlike brushing, you need to floss only once a day.

Flossing thoroughly requires you to adhere to a few instructions like using a new strand for every tooth, perform the floss correctly, neither too hard nor too loose, and so on. Observe your procedure keenly and assess it yourself by looking at the mirror. It will assist you in examining the method you are doing and improve on it.

So, the right time to floss is the time when you can do it thoroughly and correctly. Whichever time you choose, make sure you make the best of it.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.

Categories
Dental care

The Best Snacks for Healthy Teeth

Just like you manage to keep your body healthy, it’s vital to keep a frequent check on your teeth. They are a significant part of your face as who wouldn’t like to show off some pearly white teeth? So, proper oral hygiene should be followed strictly by everyone. But what if the same food eats our teeth back? The truth is that the sugary, processed drinks and highly acidic food eat away the tooth enamel, inviting cavities. Hence, it is crucial to focus on a healthy diet and even take care of what all you have as snacks to promote healthy and shiny teeth.

What food to avoid
This thought of making the appropriate distance from the unhealthy snacks calls for the complete information about which food is to be avoided. Thus, below is the list of the same:

  • Avoid too many sweets- Cavities are top concern when it comes to sugary and sticky foods. No matter what form this sugary food is, if it sticks to your teeth, it is without a doubt an open invitation to bacterias and plaque. One of those sticky and sweet things to avoid is candy. They are chewy and stick to your teeth for a longer time.
  • Be careful in consuming teeth-staining drinks- Few drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, etc. tend to cause stains on the teeth as they have chromogens( color pigments) in them. Now, that doesn’t mean you are completely devoid of your favorite coffee; all you need to do is have enough water to wash away the stains.
  • Starchy food like potato chips- Many of us may find potato chips as the tastiest snack and consume it in large amounts even though they have a significant amount of starch. This starch is converted to sugar and then trapped in between the teeth to cause the harmful plaque.
  • Dry fruits – While dry fruits may seem to be one of the healthiest snacks, a few of them like raisins, apricots, prunes, etc. are sticky that cling to the teeth and harm the enamel.

What consists the healthy snacks
As it is clear that some snacks can be disastrous for the teeth enamel and gums, you need to think twice before picking anything to eat now onwards. Well, the ideal meals for your teeth are those that don’t stick to the teeth, which are not too sugary or acidic and contain some tooth-friendly components like calcium and phosphorus as well as stimulate the release of saliva. Have a look at some of the healthy snacks:

  • Oatcakes with sugar-free peanut butter
  • Sugar-free boiled sweets
  • Cheese
  • Celery
  • Carrots
  • Nuts
  • Apples
  • Yogurt
  • Kiwi

If you still have doubts regarding the people who feed on sugary and sticky food and drinks but have a good set of teeth, you need to know a few things. Some factors have to be considered if you have that craving for unhealthy snacks.

  • Note the frequency of having such unhealthy snacks and lessen it gradually.
  • Always rinse your mouth after taking the snacks, especially after consuming the sticky food like candies and chips.
  • Drink more and more water to neutralize the acidic effects of these foods.
  • If you can’t resist having sweets, take them in the form of dessert, followed by meals, and brush your teeth after 20-30 minutes.

Keep the above information handy and consume the snacks that help you have healthy, white teeth.

Book Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.