Maintaining proper oral health is the first step you take towards maintaining a healthy and disease-free body. That is because your mouth can be the perfect breeding ground for bacteria if you don’t clean your teeth and tongue properly. If you don’t maintain dental hygiene, it can lead to the formation of plaque, cavities, bleeding gums or bad breath.

Here are some smart dental hygiene tips that can give you amazing results:

Choose the perfect brush 
The right brush can get half your job done, so look for a brush with bristles and a head that can reach the corners of your mouth. A small or medium-sized brush can work well. Choose a brush with soft bristles for your kids as their gums are more delicate. You can also sign them up for dental hygiene programs at school so that they learn brushing techniques correctly.

Brush right
Position your brush at 45 degrees to your gums, and make short back and forth strokes on the tops and sides of your teeth. Clean the backs of your front teeth by holding the brush vertically and making repeated short strokes. Moreover, remember to brush thrice daily.

Floss daily and properly
While flossing, make sure you are actually reaching between each teeth and removing the food particles. Use a fresh piece of floss for every few teeth, so that the germs don’t re-enter into a cleaned area.

Use the right mouthwash
Make sure that your mouthwash is right for your teeth and oral condition. When you don’t use a mouthwash regularly, it can cause food debris to collect along the gumline and cause gingivitis.

Pick fluoride toothpaste
Go for toothpaste with an ADA seal to ensure that it has the right amount of fluoride. Try giving your kid fluoridated drinking water or ask the dentist for fluoride supplements.

Change your brush periodically
Change your brush monthly, or if your gums begin to hurt.

Scrape your tongue
Use a ridged tongue scraper after brushing your teeth. Brush off the remaining bacteria on your tongue with the scraper.

Avoid midnight snacking
If you eat something in the middle of the night and go back to bed without brushing, it will affect your oral hygiene.

Stay away from sugary foods
Sugary foods cause tooth decay, especially when you don’t brush properly after eating. Avoid sweetened sodas, alcohol and excess caffeine too. Since these items are often rich in phosphorus and can reduce the calcium level leading to a tooth decay.