If you are the one who does the shopping for your household you can do a lot to improve the dental health of everyone in your home. The most surprising thing about maintaining good dental health is how convenient it is. You only have to spend 2-3 minutes extra cleaning your teeth and you’re good. The issue is that many households just do not have the things needed to maintain healthy teeth. The next time you go out to buy toothpastes and other materials remember the following facts.
Get Soft Toothbrushes
There was a time when brushes with hard bristles were very common. Most toothbrush manufacturers have moved away from hard brushes and for good reason; toothbrushes with hard bristles are very bad for your dental health. They are damaging in two ways; sure they are good at scraping off food particles from your teeth but they also damage the outer layer of teeth which can expose the inner part which can lead to cavities.
The worst part however is that hard bristles do to your gums. They make your teeth feel like they aren’t attached properly because they damage the connection between your gums and your teeth. The softer your toothbrush bristles the better it is for your teeth. Don’t worry about cleanliness, your toothpaste will take care of that. Also here’s something you might not have thought of: soft bristles are actually better at cleaning your teeth. They bend easily and remove the food particles stuck between your teeth as well.
Buy good mouthwash
Make sure that all the toilets in your home have mouthwash in them. There might be family members who do not have mouthwash but won’t say anything because they don’t really miss it. A good mouthwash will ensure that your breath smells good and that harmful bacteria are removed from your mouth. Check all your cabinets before you go out to shop.
Get floss for everyone
If you really want to encourage flossing make sure you buy enough for everyone. Here is a tip: Don’t put it in the toilet at first, instead make sure it is somewhere the person you want to use it spends a lot of time in. So if one of your family members spends a lot of time at the computer make sure the floss is nearby. You should be flossing in front of the sink but in the beginning you can make it conveniently reachable just to make sure that everyone flosses.
Toothpaste with fluoride
Fluoride is really, really good for our teeth. Don’t give in to marketing gimmicks, most toothpastes available in the market will perform similarly but you have to ensure that whatever toothpaste you buy has fluoride as an ingredient.
If you make these materials available your family will have better dental health than they do now. If you have children at home make sure you teach them the right way to brush and floss so their teeth remain healthy and clean.