They say, “nothing you wear is more important than your smile.” A great smile is rememberable. It shows confidence, happiness, and fun. However, it does take a little work to keep it that way. Luckily, we provided some daily tips to help keep your teeth healthy and help you prevent dental problems.

How Can I Keep My Teeth Healthy and What Can I Do to Prevent Dental Problems?

Brushing your teeth is important. It helps to wash away germs and bacteria that can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The American Dental Association recommends you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, for two minutes each time. Use a soft bristle toothbrush, and brush both your teeth and tongue.  For added germ-fighting protection, use a toothpaste with fluoride.

Make sure you brush every morning. Plaque builds up overnight causing bacteria that leads to bad breath. If you have a cup of coffee in the morning, wait at least 30 minutes to brush your teeth. Because of how acidic coffee is, it could cause a lot of damage to your teeth if you brush too soon.

You should also add flossing to your daily routine. Flossing helps remove food and buildup between the teeth and along the gum line that brushing misses.

Can Certain Foods Cause Dental Problems?

Certain foods you eat, whether or not you are a daily brusher/flosser, can break down the enamel, cause tooth decay, and other serious dental problems. Sugary beverages like soda cause acid in your mouth that break down your teeth’s enamel. When the enamel begins to break down, your teeth are more prone to decay. It is best to avoid soda, even diet soda.

Candy also isn’t the best choice if your goal is a healthy mouth. We aren’t saying to avoid it at all costs, but if you want to indulge once in a while, choose your candy wisely. Sticky and chewy candy like gummies, dried fruit, and suckers. Because it takes a while to eat these candies, they tend to stick to your teeth much longer, giving the acid and bacteria from the sugar more time to do its damage.

Can You Take Too Good of Care of Your Teeth?

Yes! It may sound silly but, you actually can overbrush your teeth. Brushing too many times a day or for longer than 4 minutes at a time, could begin to wear down the enamel of your teeth.  As mentioned earlier, this makes your teeth more prone to tooth decay and other problems.

In addition to brushing too much, you also want to avoid brushing too hard. You can damage the enamel of your teeth or your gums. If you damage your gums, the tissue around your teeth can become weak, allowing bacteria to get into your teeth.

Taking good care of your teeth can help avoid future dental problems. Brushing twice a day, flossing, and avoiding high sugar foods and beverages can also help keep your teeth healthy.

Looking for a great Chicago Dentist? If you need an exam or have questions about proper dental hygiene, schedule an appointment at any one of our 14 Chicagoland locations.