Don't forget your teeth and gums!

[OuchThatHurts]

Remember, when you don't take care of your mouth, your teeth and gums become infected with bacteria. This bacteria not only destroys your teeth and gums but it's an infection that your body has to fight off. You may not feel sick, but nevertheless, your body is under that stress. This leaves your immune system compromised to some extent, and can zap your energy, and you can even run a low grade fever.

Tips:

1) Use an electric toothbrush (for obvious reasons) and they're very affordable.
2) Don't keep your brush in the bathroom with airborne particles (that's right, poop and urea).
3) Floss. My God, ya gotta floss. It's paramount to get below the gum line and in between teeth.
4) Rinse with a flouride rinse. Don't swallow it but definitely rinse before bed so the flouride stays on you teeth all night.

Brush, floss, rinse. That's it! Takes 3 minutes. I haven't had a cavity in almost 30 years and only a couple as a kid. My teeth and gums are white and healthy. Most importantly, my mouth is clean and not setting me up for any kinds of problems.

Not to mention, who doesn't like someone with a bright smile? Everybody does!

Do this for yourself and be a good example for your kids as well!

 

[buck]

As fluoride is a toxic substances i try to use as little as i can. But i have had 1 cavity in my life time. Many countries ban it in water and have longevity as good or better then the US. The same with mouth wash. It kills off the good bacteria along with the bad. Salt water can make a good rinse.

 

[pesty4077]

I rinse with Listerine twice a day after brushing and flossing.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

As fluoride is a toxic substances i try to use as little as i can. But i have had 1 cavity in my life time. Many countries ban it in water and have longevity as good or better then the US. The same with mouth wash. It kills off the good bacteria along with the bad. Salt water can make a good rinse.

It is true, which is why you don't swallow it. You merely rinse with it and allow it to remain on the surface of the enamel to prevent demineralization beneath the surface where decay occurs. You do not need to ingest it. That would be like drinking hair conditioner to soften your hair. This is why it's best to use a flouride rinse before bed as it's during the night hours when you do not have a constant flow of saliva that bacteria will proliferate. Same reason you get morning breath and a foul taste in your mouth.

The ingestion of it is where they screwed the pooch. Listerine is good. I use it in the morning as a wash after I brush. But at night I use ACT as a rinse. The truth is that were you to brush and floss once a day, it would actually be better to do it at night then the morning. But I don't brush at night. Just floss and rinse to get the day's food still stuck in my teeth. Your mouth does have good bacteria which is why too much disinfectant mouthwash can throw off the natural flora in your mouth and give you "medicine breath".

A morning brush with mouthwash and a nightly floss and flouride rinse is fine. We're talking a few minutes tops all in and that's if your loafing it. Takes me 10 minutes just to do my beard and hair. I should do another thread on hair. You can be the most perfect physique on Earth but if you smile and it's yellow/brown gross teeth, you're done. LOL!

Hair is another one that people get wrong by washing their hair with soap and conditioner every single day. You only need to rinse your hair and massage your scalp with water. This also increases circulation to the scalp stopping DHT from killing your hair follicles. Brushing and combing cleans your hair every bit as much as a soaping does but no dry hair and scalp like daily washing. Brushing gets all the dead skin cells and mites (yes, everyone's hair, eyebrows, lashes, etc has mites and other bizarre looking microscopic critters - really bizarre see below).

I wouldn't discuss it with a chic and people don't talk about it but our whole body is an entire ecosystem, inside and out. I only spritz in a little leave in conditioner after my shower to keep it smooth and has a nice smell and with a shampoo (because I now have long hair below my shoulders) once a week or so. That's plenty.

 

[ShonaUff]

Using Plackers for flossing was a game changer for me. I have a lot of tight teeth and the Gentleslide (purple bag) version have been great.

What are your thoughts on tongue scrapers?

 

[pesty4077]

Using Plackers for flossing was a game changer for me. I have a lot of tight teeth and the Gentleslide (purple bag) version have been great.

What are your thoughts on tongue scrapers?

I know this sounds weird, but at the end of my brushing my teeth, I actually go over my tongue a little. To me it helps.

 

[ShonaUff]

I know this sounds weird, but at the end of my brushing my teeth, I actually go over my tongue a little. To me it helps.

Not weird at all, I do the same. I've read tongue scrapers are much better than brushing though, since bristles can trap germs and such. Thinking I might give one a go, they're cheap enough.

 

[pesty4077]

Not weird at all, I do the same. I've read tongue scrapers are much better than brushing though, since bristles can trap germs and such. Thinking I might give one a go, they're cheap enough.

That is another thing, I change my toothbrush often and you are correct about bacteria and germs.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

That is another thing, I change my toothbrush often and you are correct about bacteria and germs.

I'm the exact same way. I always have 10 or 12 new toothbrushes in a wicker basket where the towels are. For guests too.

I know this sounds weird, but at the end of my brushing my teeth, I actually go over my tongue a little. To me it helps.

Yup

Not weird at all, I do the same. I've read tongue scrapers are much better than brushing though, since bristles can trap germs and such. Thinking I might give one a go, they're cheap enough.

I give me tongue and gums a good once over after my teeth. All the cracks and crevices. I've never used a scraper. Let me know how it works for you.

 

[OuchThatHurts]

I've been using a high freq vibration automatic brush with charcoal bristles called Burst Oral Care. It's mos def overkill but it totally spoiled me. For what it's worth I have a $30 off promo code if you want it.

 

[ShonaUff]

I give me tongue and gums a good once over after my teeth. All the cracks and crevices. I've never used a scraper. Let me know how it works for you.

Will do! Need a new pack of toothbrushes too, thanks for the reminder guys.