Top Oral Care Habits for Busy Lifestyles

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張民冠醫生

Our oral care is one of the most important parts of our daily hygiene and should be taken seriously. If neglected, it will not only lead to gum disease and tooth decay, but it can also cause severe health conditions such as strokes, brain infections, heart disease, and many more. “Other factors that can negatively impact our oral health are crazy schedules and an extremely busy lifestyle,” says Zhang Minguan. That is why we need to cultivate the right habit to ensure our oral hygiene is top-notch even amidst a busy lifestyle. Read on as Dr. Zhang Minguan, takes us through the oral care habit for busy schedules. 

Plan your morning

Planning your morning helps you create time to brush your teeth, and do other hygiene. It also lets you lead by example by showing people around you how to prioritize their oral hygiene and time management while completing their daily activities. This will not only improve your oral care habit but also allow you to start your day smelling great and stress-free.

Use an electric toothbrush

Dr. Zhang Minguan suggests the use of an electric toothbrush as it saves time and keeps your tooth, tongue, and gum healthy. It helps to remove plagues and tartar built up on the teeth which is not easily removed by the brittle surface of the manual toothbrush. Its consistent pressure and motion of the toothbrush make brushing more relaxing and satisfying. 

Drink a lot of water

Drinking water throughout the day will not only keep you hydrated but also help you wash away food particles stuck between your teeth and the harmful bacterial in your mouth. It also cleanses any plague built up leaving your teeth and breath fresh all day and preventing it from any kind of teeth diseases. 

Flossing is important

It is often very easy to forget to floss when you have a busy lifestyle but it shouldn’t be so. Flossing helps you get rid of food particles surrounding your teeth preventing you from having gum diseases. It is also beneficial for people working for long hours as they can use it to freshen up during the day and gives you a fresh breath especially when you are going for a business meeting. 

Change your toothbrush

“Your toothbrush or toothbrush head must be changed every two to three months when practicing great oral care hygiene,” says Zhang Minguan. Moreover, changing your toothbrush after any illness is very important as germs can hide on the bristle of your toothbrush which can cause reinfection. 

Eat fresh vegetables

Research has shown that including fresh vegetables such as cucumber, celery, and others in your diet. Their water content helps in balancing the pH level of the mouth and also removes bad breath caused by food particles. This is not a substitute for brushing but can keep your mouth fresh on days you don’t have your brush in hand. 

Eat the right snacks

When we are talking of the right snacks we don’t mean junks but snacks and fruits that can help keeps your mouth clean and fresh. For example, eating apples helps to remove the plaque on your tooth and replaces it with its natural sugar. The right snack helps to maintain your tooth health and also reduces the need to constantly brush your teeth throughout the day. However, it is important to constantly floss and brush your teeth as a buildup of natural sugar on the teeth can cause tooth diseases. 

Visit your dentist

Visiting your dentist regularly gives you an update on how healthy your teeth are. While some people feel visiting a dentist is a waste of time, it actually saves your teeth in the long run. Maintaining excellent oral care hygiene with a regular visit to your dentist keeps your mouth, tooth, and gum feeling healthy.