If you’re anything like me, scrolling through the IG of models must be your daily routine. From having a caked and baked face, these “beauty-gurus” have developed and spread an obsession with having teeth whiter than snow (healthy) which is a complete myth. Let me say this for once and for all, WHITER IS NOT HEALTHIER. In fact, healthy teeth come in a variety of shades and can be a little on the yellowish side of the scale. DEAL. WITH. IT.

With that out of the way, here are a few tips on how you can keep your beautiful smile healthy with minimal efforts.

1. Scrubbing

    

   Sorry, but people don’t do that often which is why it is on the list. Scrubbing the teeth, or as we call it, brushing your beautiful pearls must be the golden rule. At least twice a day for three minutes each time should be the minimal effort you invest in cleansing them. Brushing them just before bed would do wonders to your morning breath and the health of your oral cavity. Try it once if you don’t believe me.

2. The technique
   

   I’m not calling out to anyone, but to be very honest, we all prefer going rigorous for a brief period instead of correcting for a longer period when it comes to the strokes’ movement. Wrong or harsh methods of brushing your teeth can severely harm your teeth and potentially corrode the enamel. Horizontal strokes are a big no. Instead, slow and circular motions for a period of three minutes should be performed which can help the bristles reach in the difficult grooves your cavity and clean your mouth properly.

3. Flossing
   

   A neglected step and a mistaken luxury, floss is often skipped during the oral care regime because of the lack of awareness of its importance. Yes, it is not an elite activity that only people who have a routine should follow. Along with brush, floss also plays a significant role in de-clogging the spaces between the teeth which can suffer decay if the food is stuck in between for an extended period. It can get accumulated and mere plaque can grow into tartar. (Don’t google it. Please…)

4. Rinsing
   

   Yes, here we are at the cliché and memorized step of “rinse your mouth after every meal or the boogeyman will take you away” we’ve heard so many times. But there is some truth behind it. Cleansing your mouth after having any meal can turn the tables. It not only removes the remnants of any food or oil that may cause your mouth to smell funny but can become a problem if it remains in the mouth untreated for long durations. Use diluted mouth wash and take adequate quantity which can help you keep the formula inside the oral cavity for a longer duration and helps you move it around easily instead of making it mouthful and difficult to cleanse properly.

5. Chewing gum
   

   Apart from being sweet, chewing gums are extremely sticky and can be healthy for your oral cavity if chewed in an adequate amount after meals. It can help in removing the food stuck in between the grooves and neutralize the acids along with increasing the saliva production. It acts as a micelle for all the particles which remain hidden inside the mouth even after a mouth wash and helps extract out the cavity causing juices from the mouth.

6. Vitamin C
   

   The ascorbic acid is a magic wand for your teeth. Its nature of being strong enough can help you prevent gum and teeth problems such as falling off the teeth and gum swelling. I would suggest lemon and orange juice or fruit consumption. It washes the enamel of your teeth and acts as a strong mouth wash agent which cleanses the mouth of all the liquid and solid items, restoring the lost shine and smoothness of the teeth.

7. Tobacco

   

   How to smoke a cigarette: don’t
   Smoking is not only lethal for your lungs and throat and kidneys and the remaining organs of your body and you, it is one of the major causes of bad breath and problems related to the oral cavity. Everything is a side effect of dying, but if you’re looking for a factor: smoking. The infinite trash and horseshit found inside the cigarette contributes to teeth decay, enamel corrosion, gum bleeding and death (duh…)

8. Water
   

   If you’re alive, you’re mostly water. Including water in your diet and lifestyle is important, but how and when are more important. Consuming warm water regularly can change the way your body works. It helps in removing all the impurities which home our mouth. They get washed away and don’t stay long enough to cause damage. The teeth too are prone to staining and water helps in removing them so that they are not permanent.

Here are a few go to tips to help your teeth care:

1. Toothache? Press a clove between the teeth and slowly let the juice sink in the cavity.
2. No mouth washes? 2 teaspoons of sugar, 3 drops of peppermint oil, 3/4 teaspoon of the boric acid solution and 4 cups of water. Add food colouring if desired. Don’t drink this, just don’t.
3. No toothpaste? Use unscented bathing soap with just one coat. Wash thoroughly and pay extra care while brushing to make sure you don’t consume it.
4. Aloe Vera gel is an excellent gum massager. (It’s bitter…)
5. Make sure you scrub the surface on the back of the teeth as well.
6. Incline the toothbrush to an angle and scrub the areas touching the gum to remove plaque.