Four Signs You Have a Healthy Smile
Is your mouth in good shape?
How does a person know if they have a healthy mouth? Well, aside from a professional assessment from the dentist and hygienist, there are some signs you can look for to help you determine the health of your smile at home!
How many of these four characteristics would you say are true for your mouth?
1. Healthy, sufficient gums
A healthy mouth has healthy gum tissue that is free of infection and disease. Healthy gum tissue is pink in colour (not red and definitely not purple), does not bleed when brushing or flossing, and should be covering the roots of the teeth. Gums that have severely receded due to gum disease or aggressive cleaning techniques expose the tooth roots. The less gum there is, the less support the teeth have – and in severe cases, they’re at risk for falling out. Healthy gums can be maintained with gentle daily brushing and flossing, and by seeing a professional for a cleaning every 6 months (why not come visit our friendly Burlington dentist?).
2. Normal breath
An unhealthy smile is a smelly smile (that is, if a shawarma or greek salad aren’t the ones to blame). Bad breath can give away that there’s an underlying oral problem like gum disease or rampant tooth decay… or, maybe you just haven’t been cleaning your tongue!
3. Strong tooth enamel
Strong tooth enamel is an important component of a healthy mouth. If your teeth are lacking a protective enamel layer, they will typically be much more sensitive, and you may be able to detect physical signs such as transparent edges, or jagged/rough edges if you happen to grind your teeth. Enamel wear can also be indicated with a discoloured or yellow appearance to the teeth, as a thinner surface layer will expose the yellower dentin layer beneath it. But, this might just be normal staining that occurs with the consumption of certain foods and drinks.
4. A properly aligned bite
It’s important that your teeth are properly aligned and your bite is normal to ensure the proper function of your mouth. It can be a challenge to effectively clean teeth that are misaligned or crowded... which can increase a person’s risk for tooth decay and gum disease. An improper bite (also referred to as malocclusion) can also pose problems with chewing, and could contribute to jaw disorders like Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMD).
Well, how healthy is your smile according to these four characteristics?
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