Oral hygiene 101: products and tips for your teeth

You know that saying, “Smiles are contagious”? Clean, healthy smiles are even catchier. And achieving one is just one of the many benefits of proper oral hygiene.

Teeth are just one piece of that puzzle. Your gums anchor those teeth in your mouth and help prevent mouth bacteria from getting into your bloodstream where they can cause more serious problems.

“Good oral hygiene doesn’t have to be difficult,” says Deanna Snitzer, DDS, a dentist and spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry. She explains that, at the most basic level, it’s as simple as brushing and flossing at home and visiting the dentist regularly. “If most people just did that, they would be in pretty decent shape,” she says.

Read on for tips and products that can help elevate your mouth game.

In this article:

Products to support oral health

When it comes down to it, supporting oral health at home basically just requires a two-step routine:

1. Clean the surfaces of your teeth by brushing twice a day.
2. Clean between teeth with floss.

“At a minimum, you should have a toothbrush, toothpaste and floss at home,” Dr. Snitzer says. “But there are a lot of other dental products that can be great adjuncts, like water flossers or interdental brushes.” While a good at-home routine is important, remember to schedule routine cleanings and checkups with your dentist.

Here is a list of products to consider:

• Dental floss: Floss is an essential tool for cleaning between your teeth and against the gumline where toothbrushes can’t reach.
• Interdental brush: In addition to or as an alternative to floss, interdental brushes (little plastic sticks with small, bristled heads) clean between teeth.
• Mouthwash: Therapeutic mouthwashes contain active ingredients that can help reduce bad breath, gingivitis, plaque and tooth decay. Mouthwash should be used in addition to regular brushing and not as a replacement.
• Tongue scraper: Much like brushing your tongue, using a tongue scraper removes bacteria. Ask your dentist if this is right for you and about proper techniques.
• Toothbrush: This one is a must. Electric toothbrushes also get the job done.
• Toothpaste: Another nonnegotiable. All toothpastes approved by the American Dental Association contain fluoride, which helps protect against cavities.
• Water flosser: These devices shoot water into the mouth and may help with oral health.

Tips for proper brushing techniques

Even if you’ve been brushing your teeth for longer than you can remember, it’s always a good idea to review your brushing technique. Follow these tips for a cleaner, healthier mouth:

1. Use a fluoride toothpaste. All toothpastes approved by the American Dental Association contain fluoride to help reduce the risk of cavities.
2. Set a timer. Experts recommend brushing teeth twice a day for two minutes. Some electric toothbrushes have built-in timers, but you could always use your phone or other timepiece to make sure you’re giving teeth your full attention for 120 seconds. Divide that time between your upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right. (So, 30 seconds each.)
3. Hold the brush at a 45-degree angle toward the gums. This means when you’re brushing your bottom teeth, the bristles should be aimed down toward the gums, and when you’re brushing your upper teeth, they should be aimed slightly up. This will help better remove plaque and bacteria at the gumline.
4.  Brush every surface: Give equal attention to the outside, inside and chewing surface of every tooth.
5. Make short, overlapping back-and-forth strokes: And to clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically to reach all of the nooks and crannies.
6. Be gentle: Whether you’re using a manual toothbrush or an electric one, there’s no need to push down hard when cleaning your teeth, because this can cause irritation and may injure your gums. Some electric toothbrushes have sensors that alert you if you’re putting too much pressure on your teeth,  but it’s a good thing to be aware of in general.

Tips for flossing

Not everybody likes flossing, and dentists know it. They also likely know when you don’t floss. They can see telltale plaque and calculus (a hard substance also known as tartar that only the dentist’s office can remove) or signs of gum disease.

Routine flossing is essential for proper oral hygiene and overall health because it removes plaque and food particles, but it also protects against cavities and gum disease. So, yes, flossing is serious business.

“Flossing is particularly important if you have tight contact within teeth,” says Margherita Fontana, DDS, PhD, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. “Once teeth become in contact with one another, they are difficult to clean.”

To floss effectively, with minimal discomfort, take a long piece of thread floss (generally about 18 inches). Gently work it up and down between each of your teeth, with the floss in a “C” shape. (Note: Going straight down may result in the floss “snapping” against gums, potentially causing pain.)

Be sure to use a clean section of floss between each pair of teeth, otherwise you might drag debris and bacteria down into the gumline of the next two teeth. And don't forget about the back side of your last teeth. Even though the back side doesn’t sit against another tooth, it still needs flossing.

Learn more here about proper flossing here. If you are unable to floss or prefer a different method, water flossers and other interdental cleaning devices can be a good substitute. Speak with your dentist to help determine what may be the best option.

Diet and oral health

What you eat affects oral health in more ways than one. Some nutrients help keep your teeth and mouth healthy and strong. Some foods can cause problems.

Here’s what to look for — and what to watch out for:

Foods and drinks that help keep teeth strong

• Dairy cheese, milk and yogurt not only contain calcium, which strengthens teeth and bones, but can also lower the acid levels in your mouth, which helps prevent tooth decay.
• Drinking water helps wash away food particles after you eat, and if the water is fluoridated, it can help protect teeth from cavities.
• Crunchy fruits and vegetables not only deliver a full-body boost of nutrients, but they also help clean the surfaces of your teeth and stimulate saliva to wash away food particles.
• Leafy greens are another good source of calcium and contain other beneficial nutrients to help keep teeth healthy.
• Nuts, fatty fish (like salmon) and tofu all contain phosphorus, which helps protect tooth enamel.

Foods and drinks that can damage teeth

• Sugary foods and beverages feed the harmful bacteria in your mouth, creating an ideal environment for cavities. Sticky foods (like dried fruits or gummy candies) linger on teeth and can attract bacteria that cause cavities.
• Carbonated beverages (except sparkling water) and alcohol can erode tooth enamel and lead to tooth sensitivity.

Regular dental checkups and cleanings

Taking care of your pearly whites at home will only get you halfway to oral health greatness. The other half of proper tooth and mouth hygiene is regularly visiting your dentist. Experts advise visiting the dentist at least once per year (or more frequently if your dentist recommends it), so they can detect and treat any problems you might miss and give your teeth a deep clean.

“A patient often won’t notice the initial stages of different problems with gums, bones or teeth,” says Dr. Fontana. “Waiting until you have a hole in your tooth can be painful, expensive and may not lead to a good prognosis. A dentist can identify problems early and either prevent them from getting worse or help reverse some of the damage that has already occurred.”

Common dental problems and how to help prevent them

Proper oral hygiene — which, to recap, means brushing twice a day, flossing regularly, eating right and visiting your dentist twice a year — can go a long way toward preventing common dental problems like bad breath, cavities, gum disease and tooth decay.

If you do suspect you might have one of those conditions, a visit to your dentist can provide a more complete picture of your mouth health. Some common problems to look out for include the following:

Tooth decay and cavities

The acids in plaque can eat away at the enamel layer of the teeth, leading to tooth decay that causes cavities. These holes can form anywhere on the tooth, including the smooth surface of teeth, the chewing area and even at the root if a patient has receding gums and the root is exposed. Cavities are a common problem, nearly 90 percent of adults will have had at least one by the time they turn 64.

“Tooth decay is serious,” Dr. Snitzer says. “It can cause dental infections, pain, swelling and trips to the emergency room.” Treating tooth decay is possible, but the earlier you catch it, the better.

One of the first signs of tooth decay is chalky white spots on teeth, a result of the minerals in the enamel being broken down. If you develop a toothache or start to notice tooth sensitivity to hot or cold food and drinks, it could be a sign of a cavity.

Your dentist can confirm the problem and treat the issue. To combat early signs of tooth decay and remineralize the tooth enamel, your dentist might apply a fluoride treatment or prescribe a fluoride toothpaste or mouthwash (or a combination of fluoride therapies).

For cavities, a dentist will fill the hole with a tooth-colored resin or a silver or gold filling. Left untreated, tooth decay could progress and attack the inner layers of the tooth and root. This could ultimately require a root canal to remove the damaged inner layer and replace it with a material similar to a filling.

Gum disease

Plaque buildup can cause gum disease. Symptoms of mild gum disease, called gingivitis, include red, swollen gums that bleed when you brush. If caught in time, your dentist can treat gingivitis, effectively reversing its impacts. For mild gum disease, a dentist might clean the plaque from the roots of your teeth beneath the gum, then plane the surface of the tooth at the root to create a smooth surface that plaque won’t easily stick to.

Left untreated, gingivitis can advance to periodontitis, which is a more serious condition. It affects not only the gums, but eventually the bones that support your teeth. “Your teeth may seem to be getting longer, because the gums are moving away from your teeth,” Dr. Fontana says.

As gums pull away from the teeth, they leave loose gaps where plaque and bacteria can accumulate, further worsening the problem. You may also experience pain when chewing, and the infection could cause teeth to loosen and fall out.

There are treatments for more advanced stages of periodontitis, including gum pocket reduction surgery, bone grafting to help your bones regenerate and gum grafting to replace the damaged tissue.

Bad breath

Halitosis, or bad breath, happens to everyone, especially after a particularly garlicky meal. But if you have bad breath regularly, known as chronic halitosis, it may be a result of inadequate oral hygiene or a red flag for a larger issue.

Bad breath could be a signal of dry mouth, gum disease or tooth decay. It could also be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease, kidney disease, liver disease, respiratory infections or (rarely) head or neck cancer. If you suspect you have chronic halitosis, a visit with your health care provider can help get to the root of the problem.