3 Dental Habits to Keep your Smile Healthy that You Are Not Doing

Jan 25 • 2 minute read

I’m sure you’ve already heard brushing twice a day and flossing at least once a day is an integral part of anyone’s at-home hygiene routine. But there are other habits that will greatly improve your oral healthcare that you probably aren’t doing.

Here are three activities you can do at home to improve your oral health and keep your smile beautiful.

Tongue Scraping – An Ayurvedic practice that helps to reduce bacterial accumulation in the mouth and keeps the breath fresh. Because bacteria collect on the tongue, they can cause issues like halitosis and increase the risk of  infection and tooth decay.  Tongue scraping loosens bacteria from the tongue and eliminates it from the mouth. 

To practice tongue scraping, purchase a tongue scraper from your local grocery store. Gently scrub the bristles in a circular motion until a white film is created. Then use the top end of the scraper to remove bacteria from the tongue. Rinse with water or mouthwash afterwards.

Oil Pulling – This practice removes bacteria from the mouth and greatly improves the oral environment. To practice oil pulling, take about a tablespoon of vegetable oil or  coconut oil, which is  recommended most often, and swish it around the mouth for about one to two minutes. You can then spit the oil into the sink and rinse with water. Very simple.

Oil pulling is another simple Ayurvedic health care practice that reduces toxins throughout the body. Since it’s believed that many impurities can collect in the mouth, oil pulling is essential to overall health management.

Activated Charcoal for Whitening – Made from charcoal that is heat treated with a special gas, this product is used in at-home dental care for improving oral health and whitening teeth. Activated charcoal attaches to teeth and binds to plaque, food particles and bacteria, which is then removed upon brushing. Charcoal is also a little abrasive, which gives it the ability to scrape away smaller surface stains to brighten the smile and whiten teeth.

Activated charcoal is completely safe to ingest, and is often used to remove toxins from the body. Be sure to be gentle when brushing with charcoal, because its abrasive nature can damage teeth if used too heavily.

Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge to improve your oral healthcare practice, you can smile with confidence. Call our practice to learn more.

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