Top 6 Useful Dental Hygiene Tips For Smokers
Cigarette smoking, also known as tobacco usage, has well-documented adverse health effects. No matter how many times it’s been proven that cigarettes cause lung cancer, heart disease, and a long list of other illnesses, 30% of the adult population in North America still smoke. Even though extensive research shows that people who smoke have a higher risk of all the mentioned diseases, no research points out that smoking is harmful to your dental hygiene. On the contrary, there are many health reasons why smokers need extra dental care.
If you are a smoker or just someone who loves having many people around at parties, this article will provide you with six useful dental hygiene tips that you should follow closely.
1. Stay Away From Cigarettes
To maintain good dental hygiene, you should stay away from cigarettes. If you cannot live without smoking, you can try other alternatives like hookah smoking. To get all the benefits of quitting smoking and cleaning your teeth and gums, click here for good alternatives that will protect your teeth from being stained. Even though hookah is a little more healthy, it’s still a form of smoking and can help you stay away from cigarettes.
2. Avoid Teeth-Staining Foods and Drinks
To have your teeth look whiter and avoid stains, you need to follow a healthy diet plan. Some foods that contain high amounts of tannins should be avoided. Tannins are the compounds responsible for giving certain types of tea their characteristic color. Foods high in tannins such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks will cause staining on the enamel of your teeth. There is a myth going around that crackers will also stain your teeth; however, this is not true. It would help if you stayed away from things like curries, red wine, and the most obvious one, cigarettes.
3. Chewing Sugarless Gum
Chewing sugarless gum helps you fight cavities, and it also provides your teeth with essential minerals. If you are someone who constantly chews on a lot of sugar-free chewing gums, this will help in reducing the risk of developing cavities in your teeth. Most sugarless gums contain xylitol, a natural sweetener that reduces the risk of tooth decay. Chewing gum also helps reduce bad breath caused by chemicals in cigarettes.
4. Brush Your Teeth After Every Meal
To maintain a healthy set of teeth and prevent tooth decay from forming, you should brush your teeth after every meal. This will remove all the plaque hanging around in between your teeth for hours after eating. If you are not brushing right after each meal, there is a good chance that you will be missing out on a lot of food particles that will cause many dental problems. Brushing your teeth helps provide essential oral care and helps keep bad breath away.
5. Use Mouthwash to Remove Cigarette Smell from Your Breath
If you are determined to quit smoking but still have the strong urge to smoke now and then, mouthwash is your best friend. Most mouthwashes contain alcohol and antibacterial agents, which kill bacteria that cause bad breath. Make sure to use a mouthwash that is free from fluoride, as this ingredient can help protect your teeth against cavities. There is a common misconception among smokers that brushing their teeth will not remove the cigarette smell from their mouth or that this smell is not removed by any means. This is not true. There are many types of mouthwash available in stores, but you can make your homemade mouthwash for this purpose.
6. Consult Your Dentist Regularly
If you try to take great care of your teeth, it is also essential that you visit your dentist regularly. If you don’t do this, no matter how well you maintain your oral hygiene, there will be a problem down the road. A simple check-up by your dentist will help you get rid of any cavities or gum disease that might have developed. Your dentist can also provide you with some great tips about maintaining good oral health. If you are embarrassed to visit your dentist, go to a different one to get some valuable tips on dental hygiene. A dentist visit will also give you peace of mind and help you feel confident about your smile. If you don’t have a dental expert in mind, try going to the dentist in Lunenburg to obtain much-needed information on how to keep your pearly whites healthy.
Many people believe that smoking has no impact on dental hygiene. This is not true, though, as there are several risks for your teeth if you do smoke. It is best to avoid smoking as much as possible. However, if you smoke, make sure to take care of your teeth and gums by following the tips mentioned above. If you follow these simple dental hygiene tips, there’s no reason why you cannot have healthy teeth and a white smile for the rest of your life.
