Nothing says confidence like a big, beautiful smile. Maintaining a consistent dental care routine is vital to keep your teeth and gums healthy throughout your life. Your mouth is a crucial checkpoint to the health of the rest of the body, not just your teeth. When you maintain good oral health, you are boosting the health and wellness of your entire bodily system. Fortunately, keeping your teeth and gums healthy is reasonably simple and easy as long as you remain consistent with the following ten tips!
10 Tips for Maintaining Good Dental Care
Brush Your Teeth Twice Daily
Proper brushing is the foundation of good dental care. Brush your teeth twice a day using a dentist-approved toothbrush and toothpaste, and make sure you brush in circular motions to reach all areas of your mouth. Spend at least 2 minutes brushing each time, 30 seconds in each quadrant of your mouth. Make sure to get that toothbrush all the way to the back of your mouth and behind your teeth.
Floss Every Single Day
For some, flossing every day may seem like a chore. However, regular flossing helps prevent gum disease by removing bacteria and food particles between teeth that aren’t removed by regular brushing habits alone. If you struggle with flossing, we suggest speaking with your dentist about helpful tools or products you can use to make it easier.
Utilize Oral Hygiene Products
In addition to your toothbrush and floss, oral hygiene products can help you achieve even better dental care. Good oral hygiene products include oral irrigators, interdental cleaners, tongue cleaners, and mouthwash. High-quality mouthwash approved by dentists not only kills bacteria but also protects against cavities.
Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly
Toothbrushes are not designed to last forever. When your toothbrush bristles are starting to get frayed, damaged, or are being pushed outward like a fan, that is a clear sign that you need a new toothbrush. On average, people should swap out their toothbrushes every three months to ensure that the bristles are working correctly and to minimize bacteria build-up. The same applies to the toothbrush attachment if you have an electric toothbrush. We recommend having a stash of replacement heads at home for easy switching.
See Your Dentist Every Six Months
We recommend scheduling a visit to see your dentist twice a year, every six months. Not only will your dentists scrape away extra plaque and tartar build-up you can’t normally get with a toothbrush on your own, but they will detect any signs of cavities or oral diseases early on before they become serious issues later on down the line.
Drink Plenty of Water
Did you know that maintaining the optimal level of hydration ensures a healthy saliva flow? Not only is drinking a sufficient amount of water suitable for your overall health, but that saliva flows aids in moving food particles through your mouth rather than lodging in or sticking to your teeth. We recommend sipping water throughout the day to ensure you reach the intake required for your specific body type.
Maintain a Healthy, Calcium-Rich Diet
Maintaining a healthy diet is critical to many aspects of our overall health, including oral health. We recommend eating a balanced diet, including calcium-rich foods to support strong teeth. Plus, it is best to keep sugary foods to a minimum. Eating sugary foods increases the likelihood of developing caries – small holes or cavities that form inside your outer enamel layer – so limit consumption of high-sugar items such as candy, pop drinks, cookies, etc. If you have a sugar craving, we suggest replacing sugary foods with vitamin-rich alternatives like apples, bananas, almonds, and yogurt!
Ask for a Dental Sealant
Dental sealants are thin coatings applied by dentists to one’s teeth designed to help prevent tooth decay. It gets into all the little depressions, grooves, and nooks of the teeth, including molars and premolars, that are often hard to reach. We highly recommend dental sealants for children and teens who are still learning how to properly brush their teeth.
Skip Smoking to Save Your Teeth
Smoking is one of the worst things you can do to your teeth. Aesthetically, smoking stains your teeth, causing that sickly yellow color to become a permanent part of your smile. Additionally, smoking is detrimental to your oral health. Smoking can lead to tooth loss, gum disease, oral cancer, and other painful and expensive health problems.
Take a Peek in Your Mouth
You are responsible for the health of your teeth and gums, and no one sees your mouth as up close and personal on a regular basis as you do. We recommend taking a couple of minutes every week to take a good look inside your mouth. Inspect your teeth, gums, and tongue to see if you notice any changes or concerns. If you notice something abnormal, we recommend sharing this information with your dentist at your next appointment. If something in your mouth begins to become irritated, sore, sensitive, or painful, we recommend visiting your dentist to get it checked out and treated promptly.
Achieve The Best Dental Care with Creekside Dental
Whether it’s time to schedule a simple bi-annual cleaning, treat an oral health concern, or improve the aesthetic of your smile, Creekside Dental in Kennewick is here to help. We provide our patients with comprehensive dental care to ensure they achieve a healthy, beautiful, and confident smile. Contact us today to make your appointment.