Paying a visit to the dentist sounds like a hassle, yet most of us ignore our dental health. Oral health forms a major part of our hygiene not taking proper care of it can lead to severe oral health implications.

“Brushing your teeth is only a part of a complete dental care routine. Washing the mouth twice a day keeps it clean. Floss your teeth; it helps remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth and under the gum line. Eat a balanced diet and limit snacking between meals. Visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings,” says Dr. Batra.

Listed here are a few mistakes we shut our eyes to, which we shouldn’t:

Improper toothbrush: Not using a proper and hard toothbrush can lead to serious damages which can wear out the teeth’ enamel. Most people tend to change their brushes twice a year. But dentists recommend changing it every three months for proper oral hygiene and keeping the effectiveness intact. Using an improper brush can cause maximum damage over the years by wearing off healthy, natural teeth with overzealous care.

Incorrect strokes:  Most of us are habituated with performing long horizontal brushing strokes which can lead to irritation and damage. Rather one should use vertical strokes instead of horizontal, the brush should be held at an angle of 45 degrees to the gums and one should use brush gums and teeth with an up and down motion and short strokes and avoid side strokes. Also, one should start brushing on areas that they have been ignoring till now like the inner portions.

Frequent brushing: The paranoia of avoiding a dentist however can get through us terribly. Most of us find brushing an easier alternative. But, excessive brushing can damage the gums and enamel. It does not take a lot of pressure to remove the plaque thus most dental practitioners suggest brushing using a balanced pressure. Hence, one should refrain from brushing their teeth not more than twice a day.

Prolonged usage of whitening or sensitive toothpaste: Medicated toothpaste is meant to mask sensitivity over a prolonged period. Though, such a practice masks the symptom, but does not treat the problem, and using it, in the long run, can make one vulnerable to cavities, gum disease, and bad breath, since the predominant component in such toothpaste is for treating sensitivity or lightening tooth colour.

Sensitive toothpaste is meant to be used for a prescribed period and whitening toothpaste must be used under supervision to prevent any potential damage to your teeth. Toothpaste must protect your teeth and gums, so use a combination that contains fluoride that protects your teeth from decay, and gel-based parts which have antibacterial properties to prevent gum disease and bad breath.

Teeth wrangle: Hard brushing is a big NO as it leads to gum damage. Brushing more than 3-4 times is also not recommended. Since unlearning a bad brushing habit may be hard, an automatic brush might do the trick. A battery-operated brush takes the guesswork out of brushing. It may take a while to get adjusted to it, but automatic brushes make dental hygiene easy and even reduce the frequency of your dental visits.