Did you know that someone judges whether or not they like you within the first fifteen seconds of meeting you? That means that if you don’t have a good appearance to make a first impression, you will be judged. Believe it or not, a nice smile is something that people notice right away which is why it’s important to be aware of oral health faux pas.
Because of this, it is important that you take care of your mouth and teeth to ensure that you have a dazzling smile to win your way into people’s hearts. To do this, you must not only recognize what is good for your teeth but also what is not good for your teeth.
There are many things that you are told to do that are ‘good for your oral health’ or even some things that you never hear about being bad, but some of these tips and tricks simply are not true. Below are some of the biggest oral health faux pas that you want to be careful of:
Watch Where You Keep Your Toothbrush
Many people don’t put much thought into where they keep their toothbrush when they are not using it. However, this is something that you may want to start paying attention to. Wince your toothbrush often shares the same room as your toilet, there is a big issue that can be occurring without you even knowing. If you keep your toothbrush too close to your toilet when you are not using it, every single time that someone flushes, that water from the toilet will splash out of the bowl and onto your toothbrush. This can result in a lot of bacteria getting on your toothbrush then into your mouth. To prevent this, keep your toothbrush far away from your toilet in your bathroom.
Never Share Your Toothbrush
While most people abide by the rule that you should not share your toothbrush with anyone, some people feel that it is okay to do so with those you are closest to. This is not true, however, because they may have bacteria or problems in their mouth that you are not aware of. Because of this, it doesn’t matter if they are family, best friends, or anything else; you should keep your toothbrush to yourself to be on the safe side.
Don’t Brush Right After Eating Certain Foods
While you may have been told to brush after certain foods and meals, this can actually be harming your teeth more than helping. This is especially true with those foods that we are constantly told are bad for our teeth such as those high in acid and sugars. Because these foods naturally make your food more susceptible and weaker, brushing directly after eating them can cause damage to your teeth and essentially fragment your enamel. As a result, you may suffer from tooth sensitivity, cracked teeth, or toothaches. Rather than brushing directly after eating these foods, I would suggest that you wait a while before brushing.
You Can Brush Too Much
It is a common misconception that you cannot brush your teeth too much. Instead, people will always tell you that the more you brush, the better. However, brushing too much can actually cause more harm than help. While you may think that brushing multiple times a day can increase your oral health, it can make your teeth more susceptible to harm and damage. Every time that you brush your teeth, your enamel is adjusted so by doing it so much, you are affecting your enamel in a negative way. Instead of brushing multiple times, focus on being thorough the few times that you do brush.
Don’t Rinse Out Your Mouth
Most people feel that it does no harm to rinse out their mouth after brushing their teeth, but this actually has adverse effects on your teeth and oral health. Rather than rinsing your mouth out with water after brushing your teeth, you should try to just spit out the toothpaste. When you brush your teeth, you are giving your teeth the benefits of the fluoride and other ingredients. However, when you wash your mouth out with water, you are washing all of those benefits away. Essentially, by washing out your mouth after brushing, you are reversing all of the good you just did for your teeth.
Don’t Brush Side to Side
While most people are taught to brush side to side, this is actually not a good habit for you to practice. While it is not necessarily bad for your teeth, it is not the best thing that you could do to get the best out of your brushing. Instead, you should try to brush in small circular motions. As you are doing that, you want to be sure that you hit both your tongue and your gum lines.
Brush With Medium Strength
Most people think that they have to brush really hard in order to properly clean their teeth. This, however, is a myth and common mistake that people make. Rather than helping, brushing your teeth too hard can actually harm your gums and cause your gums to be more sensitive than before. Rather than brushing really hard, you should brush with enough force to clean your teeth without being in pain or uncomfortable.
Overall
Overall, there are many habits that people fall into when brushing their teeth that they think are helping their teeth. However, these actions and habits can actually be hurting your teeth more than helping them. Because of this, it is important that you take care to recognize what is and isn’t good for your teeth so that you can make sure that you are properly caring for your oral health.
As stated before, you want to make sure that you have a happy and bright smile to ensure that you make a good first impression on all of those that you meet. First impressions are everything, so make a good one with your smile.
