Ways To Improve The Cleanliness Of Your Mouth

Although you may be brushing and flossing regularly, you may still feel as though your teeth could be cleaner. You are probably right. Your mouth has so many cracks and crevices that it can be difficult to clear bacteria from every surface. Here are a few measures to add to your current oral health regimen to improve the cleanliness of your mouth:

Oil Pulling

A liquid, such as oil, can reach many of the places in your mouth that a toothbrush or a piece of string floss cannot. Through oil pulling, edible oils can be used to capture oral microbes and remove them from your teeth and gums. 

Oil pulling is the ancient Indian practice of moving oil about the oral cavity for several minutes before releasing it from your mouth. As the oil touches the surfaces of the mouth, it traps oral microbes. When the oil is released from the oral cavity, the microbes are removed.

If you would like to oil pull, place a spoonful of a healthy oil, such as olive oil or coconut oil, in your mouth and swish it about like a mouthwash. As you swish, you may feel as though your mouth is getting increasingly filled with liquid. When you feel that you must release the oil, spit it into a trash receptacle, and rinse your mouth with water. Follow the rinsing with a thorough tooth-brushing.

Oil pulling is best performed before you eat or brush your teeth in the morning.

Water Flossers

You can also get your teeth cleaner by using an oral irrigator. The concentrated stream of water from the device helps wash away plaque and food particles that may be resting along your gum line or between your teeth. This can be especially helpful because a toothbrush cannot comfortably reach the portion of tooth that is just beneath the gums. Nevertheless, plaque can accumulate in this area and if left undisturbed, will harden into tartar.

For an additional cleaning boost, you can add hydrogen peroxide or mouthwash to the water in the oral irrigator reservoir.  

Xylitol Gum

Xylitol gum helps clean your teeth by aiding in the control of oral bacteria in the mouth. The chewing motion also helps increase saliva production to rinse away plaque and dilute oral acids.

To learn more ways to get cleaner teeth at home or to schedule a professional teeth-cleaning session, schedule an appointment with a dentist in your area.