Simple steps to care of your teeth

Oral hygiene is the practice of keeping the mouth and teeth clean to prevent dental problems. Dental problems include: 

-dental caries or tooth decay 

-gum disease 

-bad breath 

Factors that affect oral hygiene:

CLEANING 

-Teeth cleaning is the removal of dental plaque and tartar from teeth to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and bad breath. This is done carefully using a toothbrush and dental floss to prevent the accumulation of plaque on teeth. 

-Dental flossing is the process of passing a waxed thread in between the teeth to prevent/reduce the accumulation of food particles hence, reducing the incidence of dental caries, gum disease, and/or bad breath. 

-Tooth brushing- brush surfaces of teeth and tongue using a medium toothbrush. 

-Tongue cleaning- using a toothbrush and /or tongue scraper, remove white/yellow bad-breath accumulating coat of bacteria, decaying food particles, and dead cells from the surface of the tongue. 

FOOD AND DRINKS 

1.) Beneficial Foods:- 

-Bread and cereals are rich in Vitamin B and good for healthy gums. 

-Fruits and vegetables are rich in Vitamin C. 

Also for healthy gums. 

-Eating crunchy vegetables like carrots and sweet potato helps to clean the gums. 

2.) Detrimental Foods:- 

-Sugars, sweets, ice creams, cakes, and biscuits cause tooth decay especially when the teeth are exposed to them frequently without brushing. 

-Acids in fruit juices and cola drinks increase the incident for caries because it demineralizes (softens) the tooth. 

-Sticky foods/sweets like toffee and fried plantain are also implicated. 

REMEDY 

-Using mouth wash is strongly recommended. It helps reduce the load of bacteria in the mouth. 

-Floss at least once a day. 

-Brush at least twice a day.