Brushing your teeth in the morning seems like a pretty mindless activity right? But who’s to say that it’s any different than a skin care routine. Right now I have at least 5 skin care products on my bathroom counter. I am not immune to the youtubers and influencers preaching about their favorite products! BUT we need to get into the habit of having an oral care routine too. After all, the mouth is the portal to the body, let’s take care of it.
1. Brushing too short of a time
Most people brush for an average of 40 seconds when the recommended time is 2 minutes. You want to treat your mouth as if it is cut into 4 sections (top right, top left, bottom right, bottom left). Take your time and brush slowly. Brushing fast is going to cause the bristles to skip over areas.
Two minutes is going to seem like a wicked long time if you aren’t used to it. I recommend setting a timer or looking into power toothbrushes that time you. The one I use is the Quip Power Toothbrush. Its inexpensive, portable, and sleek. Coming in at about $40, this battery powered toothbrush will give an extra buzz every 30 seconds and finally stop vibrating when the 2 minutes are over.
I highly recommend any power toothbrush that fits your fancy but if you were interested in looking at the quip click here.
2. Not brushing your tongue
Your tongue is not full of taste buds! Go figure huh? It’s actually covered with hairlike projections called filliform papilla that shed and regrow. Since they are hairlike they tend to get small particles of food and liquids on them. Have you ever noticed your tongue brown after coffee?
When these particles are not brushed off they sit there and grow bacteria, causing bad breath and a nasty taste in the mouth. Brushing your tongue after brushing your teeth is almost like exfoliating the tongue. It takes off bacteria and the filliform papilla that need to be shed just like dead skin!
3. Not brushing your lips
Lip scrubs are super trendy now. I myself have a couple from Lush Cosmetics . However your toothpaste has an abrasive in it and makes a great lip scrub with your toothbrush. It will help brush off dead skin and any bacteria lingering on that dead skin. It can also be done as you brush your teeth and does not need to be a side task.
4. You don’t know why you should floss
You don’t just get cavities on top of your teeth. Cavities, many times are between two teeth and require the dentist to drill holes into 2 separate teeth in order to get that cavity causing bacteria out. You can avoid this by making sure no food is getting stuck in between two teeth.
The bristles of your toothbrush cannot wedge itself between two teeth, it just brushes over the surface. If you go to the dentist and they keep telling you that there are new cavities every time, this may be the reason. Food may be getting stuck between your teeth causing unrestricted bacterial growth.
5. You aren’t using the right mouthwash
Mouthwash is not going to disinfect your mouth, even the ones that sting the most. What they are going to do is wash away particles, neutralize acid in your mouth, and give you fresher breath longer. Food and drinks are going to make your mouth acidic, acid wears away your enamel.
To neutralize this, swishing with water after foods or drinks will help. Mouthwash may help faster because of the ingredients its made with. I recommend using a mouthwash at least 2x per day.
I believe in fluoride in certain situations but by no means do you have to head this advice. If you live in a town where the water does not have fluoride in it, I recommend using a mouthwash with fluoride in it. It is going to help reminerlize your teeth when the acid from your food removes these minerals.
You are not swallowing your mouthwash so it is a topical application. Even if you swallowed a bit, this would not harm you. You would have to ingest a lot of fluoride for it to have a negative effect on you. Fluoride is a mineral and like other minerals and vitamins, they are beneficial in moderation. Again by no means do you have to head this advice.
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