Want to make a great impression on people? Well! A bright and beautiful smile can do that. To have a bright and beautiful smile, you must have clean white teeth because yellow or brown spotted teeth can spoil the whole scenario. Mouth is the only part in our body which cannot shed itself naturally, and it is the home to almost 600 species of bacteria, the majority of which are clinging to the teeth.

We need to clean our teeth in the right manner to fight the bacteria. We have to do it within 24 to 48 hours otherwise it will turn into a yellowish plaque. The acid formed by plaque can lead to decaying of the teeth. If the plaque is not removed and stays deposited for several days, it can turn into a hardened tartar and has to be removed by a professional only. Saliva can neutralize the acid, but if tartar starts to accumulate then it’s a tough job. In the long run, it can create a risk of developing gingivitis, tooth decay, periodontal disease, etc.

A bright white smile with clean mouth free of plaque is not very tough to achieve. Regular cleaning and following some easy tips can give an excellent result.

Let’s have a close look at the ways to keep the mouth clean and free of plaque.

Brushing Teeth
To prevent plaque formation, you need to brush your teeth twice daily with fluoride toothpaste and a toothbrush with soft bristles. You must brush for at least two minutes. Brushing should not be very harsh. The brush strokes will be short and vertical with moderate pressure. As you are done with cleaning, rinse the toothbrush appropriately, shake it well to dry it properly. According to the president of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Mr. Howard Sesemann says that the kind of brush, i.e., whether it is manual or electronic, doesn’t matter, but to get the best result, proper brushing techniques should be followed. The toothbrush you are using should be replaced at an interval of three to four months.

Flossing
Plaque generates typically between teeth’s. No matter how meticulously you brush, you cannot get rid of it entirely. Floss can do the magic here by working as the best plaque remover. According to experts, flossing should be done once in a day, as this is enough to keep your teeth plaque free. You have to use a floss of 18 inch or 45.7 centimeters. Floss should be wrapped around the index finger, and it should be getting between all the teeth including the back of your teeth situated at the extreme behind. Proper flossing of teeth will take you around 3 to 5 minutes of time. Sometimes flossing can be difficult to do; in that case, you can try super-floss or the dental tape. The narrow and spiral interdental brushes and pronged holders can also work as an excellent plaque remover, and these are easy to use as well. Water picks do not work as the proper substitute for floss because they don’t successfully reach inside the crevices.

Mouthwash
Mouthwash or antimicrobial rinse is another excellent product that works very well as a plaque remover. After you are done with your brushing and flossing, the use of mouthwash can thoroughly disinfect the mouth. The over-the-counter mouthwash contains fluoride, chlorhexidine gluconate, zinc citrate, triclosan, etc. which work as good plaque remover, but using any doctor prescribed mouthwash is always more fruitful. Different types of mouthwash available in the market contain a high level of alcohol, so avoid these mouthwashes in case of kids and go for the all-natural mouthwashes containing the tea tree oil, grape seed oil, peppermint oil, etc.

Eating Vegetables
Foods like soda, candies, and cupcakes have damaging effects on your teeth. Dark-colored fruits may be useful for health, but they also have a terrible impact on teeth because they contain a high level of sugar and acids that can form plaque and they also stain our teeth badly. But there are vegetables that are great for our teeth. Chewing of veggies itself does the natural brushing for our teeth and the saliva produced by the chewing action as the natural plaque fighter and plaque remover. Having cheese is also good for the teeth as it is beneficial for keeping the PH balance of mouth and also produces saliva, which is good for teeth.

Professional Cleaning
Apart from following everything like proper brushing, flossing, rinsing, you must visit the dentist to get the optimum result. In spite of cleaning the teeth, he can figure out the problems of teeth like tooth decaying, the trouble spots, stop gingivitis, gum disease, etc. If there is any tendency of plaque attack, then the dentist can fix it up by applying a coat of sealant on teeth to resist it.

It depends entirely on you whether you want to keep the teeth clean or not because unless and until you give the effort to brush twice correctly, regular flossing and rinsing and a periodic visit to the dentist, you will not get the optimum result. The proper care will help you to live a healthy life.