What Good Dental Hygiene Entails
To achieve healthy teeth, you need to dedicate a lifetime of care. Even if your teeth are aesthetically appealing, you should consider daily dental hygiene practices to prevent arising dental issues. Taking care of your teeth involves getting the right products for oral care and minding your routine habits.
Dental Hygiene Tips
Dental hygiene is the primary step to preventive dental care. Therefore, if you want to prevent dental issues such as tooth decay, cavities, and gum infections, you can consider the following oral care tips.
Brush Your Teeth Before Going to Bed
Brushing twice a day is the recommended dental hygiene practice that most of us know. However, some of us don’t know when is the best time to brush our teeth.
During the day, plaque accumulates as you eat different foods. If you fail to brush before going to bed, harmful bacteria work on the plaque to form tartar since the bacteria are more active when you are asleep.
Therefore, you should consider brushing your teeth twice daily, once in the morning and before going to bed, to eliminate plaque that accumulates during the day.
Proper Brushing
The way you brush your teeth is equally important. Sometimes, doing a lousy job when brushing is equal to not brushing your teeth at all. Therefore, you should consider proper brushing techniques recommended by your dentist during routine dental exams and cleanings.
When you are brushing your teeth, you should take your time to avoid leaving some parts unattended. Move the brush in gentle, circular motions to remove plaque on the teeth surfaces and below the gumline. If you leave the plaque unremoved, it hardens, forming calculus buildup that can cause gingivitis.
Your Tongue
As you eat, food particles might accumulate on the tongue. The plaque buildup in your tongue can accumulate and sometimes causes mouth odor. Therefore, you should not neglect your tongue when brushing your tongue. Since your toothbrush bristles can cause injury on your tongue, you should consider gentle movements when brushing it.
Toothpaste
The type of toothpaste you use to brush your teeth is also significant for good dental hygiene. When choosing a toothpaste, there are more significant factors to consider than whitening abilities and flavor. Before buying toothpaste, you should check if it contains fluoride.
Despite the controversies surrounding fluoride, it remains significant in promoting your oral health. Fluoride offers defense against dental cavities by providing a proactive barrier against bacteria that caused tooth decay. Therefore, you should consider fluoridated toothpaste to prevent such dental issues.
Flossing Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth alone doesn’t eliminate plaque. Therefore, you can consider flossing your teeth at least once a day to eliminate plaque and tartar deposits between your teeth. By removing plaque and tartar, you reduce the risk of gum inflammation and tooth decay.
If you are experiencing difficulties when flossing your teeth, you can visit a dentist near you. The dentist will recommend some tools that will help you floss your teeth if you have difficulties due to arthritis and any other condition that might affect your hand movements.
Consider Mouth Rinses
Most of us avoid using mouthwash since we don’t know how it works. Using antiseptic mouth rinses regularly or when we have dental injuries that hinder your ability to brush appropriately helps in the following ways:
- Reduces acidity in your mouth
- Cleans hard to reach areas when brushing
- Re-mineralizes your teeth
Before choosing a mouthwash, you can ask your dentist for recommendations.
Drink Water and Eat Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables Regularly
Drinking water and eating crunchy fruits or vegetables regularly is significant for general and dental health. Water after every meal washes away the food particles, preventing the accumulation of plaque. Also, eating crunchy fruits and vegetables can help scrub plaque from your tooth surfaces.
Regular Dental Check-Ups and Cleanings
Visiting your dentist at least twice a year for dental exams can help promote good oral hygiene. During the cleanings, your dentist will remove plaque deposits that are not easily removable by brushing and flossing. The dentist can also provide education on ways to maintain good oral hygiene.
Dentist Near You
If you need a dentist near you for dental exams, cleanings, and other oral health issues, you can visit us at Golf Links Dental.