You know that to keep your mouth, teeth, and gums healthy you should brush twice a day. You know you need to floss daily and you may even use a mouth rinse to keep your gums extra clean.

But did you realize those steps are only the beginning? There’s a lot more you can do to improve your oral health like visiting a dental professional like Simcoe Smile Dental.

If you’re ready for a seriously bright smile and loads of confidence, take a look at these five unusual ways to improve your oral health.

Consider Your Diet

What you eat impacts your health in a wide variety of ways, and your oral health is no exception. Making wise choices when you consider your diet is important, but it’s not all about skipping the sugar.

Your saliva provides minerals for your teeth and other cells so that your mouth can rebuild and strengthen itself. Eating a diet that has enough important minerals will help your body produce what it needs to stay healthy.

You can also chew gum to avoid overeating or grabbing sugary snacks. Gum has the added advantage that it removes debris and stimulates saliva production.

Finally, some of the foods you eat help naturally “brush” your teeth, such as apples or celery. By including more of these in your diet, your oral health will improve.

Get Enough Sleep

Sleep isn’t just about getting rid of the tired feeling that makes you drag through the day. Sleep is a time when your body revitalizes and repairs all of its systems.

If you are skipping on your sleep, it’s time to get more. It will impact your oral health and the rest of your body as well. You’ll feel better but you’ll also be a lot healthier!

Skip Diet Soda

Diet soda may not have sugar, but it has more than enough chemicals to make up for it. It’s not just that diet soda is bad for your body, though – it’s also bad for your mouth.

The drink is highly acidic, which can destroy your teeth. It is also generally dark-coloured, so it will stain your teeth as well. If you see a dental clinic in Brampton, they’ll tell you diet soda is a terrible option.

Remember, your oral health is strongly linked to the rest of your body’s well-being. Don’t give that up for a drink!

Check Your Mouthwash

Mouthwash is a great way to keep your teeth and gums extra clean after you brush and floss. However, if you have common problems such as irritations in your mouth, dry mouth, or burning mouth syndrome, your mouthwash may be making things worse.

For many people it’s best to choose an alcohol-free rinse or mouthwash. The alcohol can irritate your gums and tongue if you have problems, and can reduce the amount of saliva your mouth produces as well.

Grab the Cinnamon

As a natural remedy, cinnamon has a lot of healing properties. It can reduce inflammation and even reduce minor pain. There are also a lot of antioxidants that help the body heal itself.

If you make your own toothpaste, add cinnamon. You can also add cinnamon to tea or your morning cereal. It’s very important, however, to avoid eating powdered cinnamon plain, as it will dry out your mouth instantly and inhaling the particles can cause permanent damage to your lungs.

Taking care of your oral health is vital, and it goes well beyond brushing and flossing. With these five tips, you can take advantage of more unusual ways to maintain your health as well.