Dental Hygiene Tricks From The Girl Who Graduated in Cavities

Coming from the girl who aspired to be a singing dentist as a child, I was dealt a really crappy hand in the game of teeth. I'm playing the cards I'm dealt and let me tell you if I could fold on my teeth, I would. I would've never even sat down at the table.

I have what the dentist would call "soft teeth," and they SUCK. I would not wish this upon anybody except for those who think using a blinker is optional; I might want to upon them. BASICALLY, soft teeth mean anything and everything you eat affects your teeth. Some people go to the dentist once every year; I go at least eight times a year. There is always something going on with my teeth. My last check up, I had five crowns, and four fillings to take care of and I WAS RELIEVED. That was borderline a good check-up for us soft teeth people. I don't have to get a root canal, so I count that as a win.

A lot of people are terrified of the dentist. I can relate, I used to be one of them. Even going into a cleaning gives me anxiety. Continually questioning myself, what are they going to find? Will it hurt? What's that sound? Why does she keep asking me questions while her fingers are in my mouth? It's not exactly a pleasant experience, but it is so so so necessary.

Over the years of me realizing the dentist battle is not one I'm ever going to win, I have picked up some incredibly meticulous dental practices that if the average joe without soft teeth practiced they would just get told to floss more and be on their way. There's no way out of that one friend. You will NEVER floss enough.

Floss. Yep. I said it, and I'm just gonna leave that here.

Use a 'soft' toothbrush. I never noticed this until my hygienist pointed it out but toothbrushes have different levels of bristles. You can usually find the level in the top right corner of the brush package. GET SOFT. It feels amazing on your teeth and gets in between all of your little-hidden spaces where all those germies hideout. Ya nasty...

Put floss in your remote control console area. Mainly, keep floss nearby your couch area because it is so mindless to floss while watching TV. A lot of people think you have to include it in your brushing ritual, but you can floss at any time of the day!

Another watching TV trick is to dry brush. Take your toothbrush while it is dry and just run it across your teeth for a minute. It feels terrific and get's rid of any floating particles that don't necessarily need to be there.

Invest in a fluoride toothpaste. This is especially helpful if you feel a cavity coming on, or if there is some sensitivity in your mouth. Fluoride toothpaste slows down the decay process so it will reduce the pain and the speed your cavity is growing. Use this at night and don't rinse to let it sit on your teeth without disruption.

If you get cold sores or your gums get sore try out Periogard by Colgate. It is prescription only, but usually, you can just ask your dentist for it. If you hate gargling with salt water like me, this is a WAY better alternative. It soothes any sore spots you have, and it leaves a film over your teeth and tongue, which can be looked at as a bonus because then you won't snack until the taste goes away.

Swish with water after you eat anything sweet. You should probably swish every time you eat, but if you don't have soft teeth it probably won't make too much of a difference anyway. Let that flavor savor until it's gone but be sure to swish some water throughout your mouth after enjoying your little delicacy. It rinses off some of the decay germs so they don't latch on and burrowing themselves into your teeth. I know, it's gross, right?

Any other common practices I'm missing? Comment below with them. I need all the help I can get.