Our mouths are one of the major pathways to the core of our bodies, which is why it is so important to practice good dental hygiene on a daily basis. We have all heard the phrase "you are what you eat." When you have an unhealthy mouth, all the bacteria around our teeth and gums enter our bodies by being swallowed with a glass of water or a spoon full of food. Our digestive and reproductive systems are much more vulnerable to disease when we do not keep our mouths clean. Our mouths consist of teeth, gums, oral mucosa and the tongue. All of these parts need to be thoroughly cleaned multiple times a day to stay fresh and clear of bacteria. There are a number of things we can do at home to keep our mouths clean. We can also schedule regular appointments with a professional dentist, such as TMJ Dentistry , to help us keep our mouths clean.

The best time to start practicing good dental hygiene is as an infant – the very day a baby is born. There are a number of problems that babies can encounter as a result of poor dental hygiene, such as oral thrush, baby bottle caries, teething blues, crying babies and diarrhea. After every feeding, give your baby a spoonful of warm water to help rinse out their mouths. You could also get a soft cloth, wrap it around your finger, and use that to wipe their gum pads, inner cheeks, lips and tongue. Never use cotton to clean their mouths as the fibers tend to irritate.

As soon as that first little tooth comes out, your baby should start to have a regular brushing routine. Use a tiny baby's toothbrush to gently clean the erupting teeth. You do not need to use toothpaste yet, because babies will swallow the toothpaste instead of spit it out. When they are old enough to start using toothpaste – which is around the age of 5 – use a fluoride-free paste in case your child swallows it by accident.

When you children are old enough to start going to school, they should have proper toothbrush training by an experience dental professional. At this point, they can safely use toothpaste that has fluoride in it, as their spitting reflex is now fully developed. If your child has braces, they will need to use a special orthodontic toothbrush to get into all the wire crevices.

For children with special needs, it can be difficult or impossible to brush their teeth by themselves. Parents or care-givers should help them clean their teeth by using a manual or motor toothbrush. Make sure to give special attention to those children on immuno-suppressant drugs, those with diabetes or heart problems, or those mentally challenged children on long term medications.

Good dental hygiene is not just about brushing and flossing every day. It also has a lot to do with our diet. A poor diet is one of the major causes of caries in children and adults alike. Your diet should include fibrous foods like fresh vegetables, fruits and salads rather than foods high in sugar and carbohydrates. Fruits and vegetables act as natural cleansers both to our mouths and our bodies. Your diet should also include a variety of vitamins and minerals. Milk products like cheese and yogurt contain high levels of calcium, which is great for growing children, because it keeps their teeth and bones strong.

When it comes to the fluid part of your diet, reduce the amount of high sugar drinks like soda and fruit juices, and replace them with water. Drinks that have high levels of acidic content will demineralize the calcium in your teeth, which leads to caries and hypersensitive teeth. Water acts as a natural cleanser for both our mouths and our bodies.

The best tools to use to clean your mouth and teeth are universally known as toothbrushes, dental floss and mouthwashes. There are also a few lesser known materials you could use to supplement the cleaning process, such as chew sticks and dental powders. Using these products on a daily basis will help keep your teeth clean and free of dental problems – for the most part. There still runs the risk of having more serious dental problems in your lifetime, which is why you should see a professional dentist, such as TMJ Dentistry on a regular basis to keep your mouth and teeth as clean as possible.