You wonder why. You are brushing your teeth three times a day and perhaps you are also using a mouthwash but you are still occasionally suffering from oral hygiene problems such as bad breath and tooth decay. So what could be the problem? Without your knowing, oral hygiene pitfalls could be slipping their way into your lifestyle. To help you avoid them, here are some of them:

Binge eating

You know what this is. It is those occasional times throughout the day when you take a cup cake, a bar of chocolate, or some cookies and eat them in between meals. This exposes your teeth to food debris because you usually only brush your teeth after major meals such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner but not after binge eating. Limit yourself to scheduled snacks and brush your teeth after which.

Bed snacks

Here is another problem: some foods especially junk foods, candies, and chocolate bars always seem to find their way under your pillow. Especially if you have television inside your room, snacking can be a luxury you want to indulge on. But when you snack inside your room, it is usually not followed by tooth brushing.

Sugary drinks

Even if you have the habit of brushing your teeth after every meal, snack, or binge eating, you are probably not doing so after drinking bottled juices, canned soda, or any other sugary drinks. Well, this is not saying you should because it is ridiculous. Instead, you might want to avoid these drinks. If you want them, you can have them during your meals or snacks.

Old toothbrush

As long as I am brushing my teeth regularly, I should be okay. And there is some truth to that. But the question is how old is the toothbrush? Take note that even your toothbrush has an expiration date. After some time, it will host too many bacteria that it is already counterproductive. It might also lose its brittleness and ability to clean thoroughly. Replace your toothbrush around every 2 to 3 months.

Time rush

It is a nice idea to always have time to brush your teeth after every meal. But that is the problem: time. Especially among businessmen and city employees, they may no longer be afforded this time. Even if they find time to brush their teeth, they no longer do so thoroughly. Make sure that you find time and do proper time management.

Neglecting dentist visits

Another result of the ‘As long as I am brushing my teeth regularly, I should be okay’ notion is that it makes people neglect visit to the dentist. Take note however that your toothbrush can only clean so much. Buildups will soon develop on your teeth and only your doctor can remove those. Have regular dentist visits and do dental cleaning at least annually.

Mouthing/Biting

If you still have the habit of biting things like the head of the pencil of your pen, it is definitely something you need to overcome. This also includes nail biting and thumb sucking. These habits are bringing unknown bacteria into your mouth and can contribute to poor oral hygiene.

Author Bio: Discover 8 Tips things to consider when choosing Virginia Beach Dentist to avoid strain on your budget and maintain good dental care for your family. Watch this cartoon on dental care for kids to get a humorous perspective on dental care.

Category: Family Concerns
Keywords: dental health, va beach dentist, virginia beach dentist, family dentistry, oral health