Don't Risk Your Oral Health: 4 Ways To Protect Your Mouth From Harmful Bacteria
If you don't take care of your teeth, you may think that the only thing you need to worry about is a few extra cavities. However, that's not the case. If you're not taking care of your teeth, you could be looking at an increased risk for bacteria-related dental problems. Here are some steps you can use to protect your mouth from harmful bacteria.
Keep Your Teeth Clean
If you lead a busy lifestyle, you might not have enough time to brush your teeth more than once a day. Unfortunately, failure to brush your teeth will allow bacteria to breed quickly, especially between your teeth and below the gumline. The best way to reduce the growth of bacteria in your mouth is to keep your teeth clean, which means you need to keep up on your dental hygiene. Instead of brushing your teeth only once a day, increase that to at least twice a day – preferably three times a day. Follow up your brushing with the use of dental floss. Brushing and flossing up to three times a day will reduce the development of bacteria.
Avoid the Buildup of Plaque
In most cases, daily oral hygiene will help reduce the bacteria; however, if you haven't been seeing your dentist on a regular basis, you could still have a problem that could lead to serious dental problems. That's because plaque can't be removed with ordinary brushing. Unfortunately, a buildup of plaque increases the bacteria in your mouth, which then increases your risk for dental problems such as gum disease. To control the growth of bacteria, you need to avoid plaque buildup altogether. The only way to do that is to have your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year.
Keep Bacteria Off Your Tongue
If you haven't taken a good look at your tongue lately, you could be overlooking a source of oral bacteria. You might not realize this, but your tongue may be coated with dangerous bacteria that can destroy your teeth, your gums, and your health. If you don't brush your tongue each time you brush your teeth, there could still be bacteria in your mouth. One way to remove the bacteria is to use your toothbrush to clean your tongue each time you brush your teeth. For maximum cleaning power, invest in a tongue scraper. A tongue scraper will remove the layer of bacteria that's coating your tongue and jeopardizing your oral health.
Know the Warning Signs of Oral Infections
If you have a buildup of bacteria in your mouth, you need to be aware of the warning signs for oral infections. If not treated properly, oral infections can lead to tooth loss and abscesses. Some signs of oral infections include foul breath, yellow or green discharge from around your teeth, and swollen lymph nodes along the jaw bone. If you develop any signs of oral infections, you need to see your dentist right away.
Reach out to a clinic for dental services to learn more.
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