Dentist Alan Clark says good oral hygiene has the power to transform your daily routine, improve your health and boost your confidence, but it’s important to get it right.
A common misconception is rinsing your mouth with water after brushing your teeth. According to Paste Dental Clinical Director and Senior Dentist Clark, it’s time to kick the habit.
“It may seem counterintuitive, but rinsing right after brushing removes the fluoride-rich toothpaste that’s left on your teeth,” he says. “Fluoride is like a superhero to tooth enamel, protecting it from the forces of decay.”
And Dr. Clark offered some additional tips when it comes to your brushing routine.
Our lives are a whirlwind of activity, and sometimes even brushing your teeth feels like a race.
But your teeth also deserve quality time, Dr. Clark said. The magic number here is two minutes, two minutes of intense brushing.
He advised, “Use gentle circular motions across the teeth to reach every nook and cranny. Think of it as a creative expression of self-love and your smile as a masterpiece.”
Your upper and lower teeth are like a dynamic duo for your mouth, Dr. Clark said. They play different roles and deserve good care.
He continued, “Gently brush your upper teeth. And for your lower teeth, brush them upwards with the same gentleness.
Hertfordshire: From diabetes to Parkinson’s disease, body odor can reveal a general health problem
Body odor, from breath to sweat, can be a good indicator of what’s going on with our overall health, according to an expert.
Dr Sohail Hussain, a GP and trusted private healthcare provider in Hertfordshire, England, explains that while bad breath can be due to poor oral hygiene, it can sometimes be a sign of another condition.
“Sometimes the breath is described as having an acetone-like odor (like nail polish or a rotten pear smell). This can be a sign of a serious underlying health condition, especially diabetes. “
Dr Hussain added: “If your breath smells of ammonia, consider getting checked for kidney problems, as ammonia is normally excreted in urine. The smell of rotten eggs and garlic means that the liver does not work well.”
But sometimes bad breath is caused by a buildup of bacteria caused by trapped food particles.
This type of bad breath can be easily treated by brushing your teeth daily and flossing.
When it comes to sweaty armpits, Dr. Hussain said it’s “the buildup of bacteria” that leads to bad body odor.
And some people are more prone to sweating than others, which increases the risk of developing a fungal infection.
“Sometimes when we’re under stress or at certain stages in our lives, like puberty or menopause, there can be a more noticeable change in body odor,” Dr. Hussain noted.
Body odor can also be affected by what we eat, so if you ate pizza with onions and garlic the day before, your armpits may also smell the same the next day.
“As with bad breath, if your sweat smells like acetone, think diabetes,” Dr. Hussain added. “Kidney or liver disease can lead to changes in the smell of sweat.”
Sometimes sweat odor can be caused by certain medications prescribed by a doctor that are excreted in body fluids (including sweat).
People with sinus infections or young children may also notice a foul odor.
Dr Hussain said: “Infections of the tonsils, especially the tonsils, can cause bad breath in the nose. An interesting phenomenon is phantosmia. It is the perception of bad breath in the nose when in fact , there is none at all. This has been described as an early symptom of Parkinson’s disease.” “.
“Most of the time, all of these symptoms are minor and have easily explainable causes. However, the bottom line is that any symptoms that persist require further medical attention,” Dr. Hussain explained.
