Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene In College – Tips For Every Student

As a college student, the last thing you want is for your fellow students or lecturers to avoid you because you have a smelling mouth or brown teeth. It’s therefore in your best interest to maintain good oral hygiene to help keep your gums healthy and protects your teeth from decay. Here are some useful tips to get you started:

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Living a healthy lifestyle while in college can greatly help to improve your dental health. This includes (but not limited to) quitting smoking, cutting back on refined carbohydrates and sugary foods that can cause teeth decay. Also, remember to drink lots of water throughout the day to your mouth clean and smelling fresh.

Visit The Dentist Regularly

Lastly, ensure that you visit your dentist on a regular basis for an oral exam and professional cleaning. This will go a long way in keeping your gums and teeth healthy and strong and is a big part in preventing any unforeseen issues.

Brush At Least Twice A Day

Brush for a minimum of two minutes using a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste. Consider using a battery or electric-operated toothbrush, as opposed to a manual toothbrush, to help reduce plaque and gum disease. These kinds of toothbrushes also come in handy when you suffer from problems that make it difficult to brush effectively, like arthritis. If used correctly, the brush should last between 2 and 3 months after which it’s should be replaced.

Don’t know how to brush properly? It’s simple. Hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle, aiming the bristles toward your gum line. Then, gently brush each tooth in short, circular motions, making sure that you brush every surface of your teeth and tongue. But, be careful not to overdo it, as overly aggressive brushing can erode your gum line and damage your teeth.

Always rinse your brush with water after brushing. And don’t store it in a closed container as this might encourage bacterial growth. Instead, keep it in an open and upright position to air-dry, as it waits for the next use.

Floss Daily

According to The American Dental Association, an estimated 18.5% of Americans don’t floss at all; a statistic that highlights the lack of education on this very important issue. Daily flossing promotes healthier teeth and gums by removing food particles from the tight spaces between the teeth where toothbrushes cannot reach.

Just like brushing, there’s a wrong and right way to floss. Break off approximately 18 inches of dental floss, and wind most of it around your middle finger on one hand, and the remaining on the middle finger on the other hand. Gripping the floss tightly between your forefingers and thumbs, slide the floss into the space between your tooth and gum, and floss gently on each side of your tooth in an up and down motion. Be sure to unwind fresh floss as you move to the rest of the teeth.

Share these simple tips on social media to help fellow college students know how to maintain good oral hygiene.

Sources

http://www.bcdental.org/YourDentalHealth/YourDentalHealth.aspx?id=9973