Follow our tips below to make sure your mouth and your smile are in tip top condition.
1. Brush your Teeth Twice a Day, Every Day - You’ve been told this since your very first dental visit as a child: brush your teeth twice a day. Brushing removes leftover food particles that can bond with saliva to form plaque. These particles feed the bacteria that naturally live in our mouths and these bacteria can eat through our tooth enamel and cause tooth decay. When brushing your teeth, be sure to use a quality electric toothbrush or a soft bristled manual brush. While medium and hard bristled toothbrushes are readily available, stiffer bristles and aggressive brushing causes gums to recede and can wear down your tooth’s enamel.
Because plaque can harden into tartar, frequent brushing helps your teeth stay whiter and healthier than in people who brush less often. How you brush is important. Angle the bristles toward the gumline at a 45-degree angle, with just enough pressure to make the tissue a lighter color. Gently make small strokes, focusing on one or two teeth at a time. Don’t apply too much pressure and invest in a good brush. And don’t forget to brush your gums…this will keep your gums healthy and remove the most plaque.
2. Use Fluoride Toothpaste - Fluoride helps strengthen tooth enamel, making it an important additive to toothpaste. Using toothpaste and mouthwash with fluoride can reverse tooth decay at early stages, reducing the need for fillings.
3. Keep your Tongue Clean - When you brush your teeth, don’t forget to brush your tongue. Running your toothbrush over the white or yellow area at the back of your tongue helps to remove the foul-smelling bacterial waste that causes bad breath.
4. Take Good Care of your Toothbrush - Your toothbrush doesn’t need any special cleaning, but make sure it dries completely after each use and there is no leftover toothpaste. Store your toothbrush in an upright position that is exposed to air. Don’t forget to change out your old toothbrush for a fresh new toothbrush every 3 to 4 months…or earlier if you see a lot of wear and tear on the bristles.
5. Floss Every Night - Flossing is important because it removes plaque between teeth and out from under the gumlines, where a toothbrush can’t reach. If left alone, plaque and tartar build up under the surface of the gumlines can cause periodontal disease, which leads to bone destruction and tooth loss. Nightly flossing helps prevent tooth decay and gingivitis.
To floss properly, wrap the floss tightly around your finger and insert in the space between your teeth. Gently slide it up and down under the gumlines two to three times. If bleeding occurs, this is most likely due to gingivitis or gum disease. When flossing daily, the bleeding associated with mild to moderate gingivitis usually stops after about two weeks.
If you have braces or other orthodontic appliances…try using a floss threader to help you floss between and around each bracket.
6. Limit Sugary Drinks - The bacteria in our mouths thrive on sugar which makes sugary drinks a major contributor to tooth decay. Reducing the amount of sugar in your diet combined with regular brushing and flossing can help keep the bacteria under control.
7. Maintain a Healthy Diet - A healthy diet is not only important for your overall health, but it is important for your teeth as well. In addition to good nutrition provided by healthy foods that help your bones and teeth grow and stay healthy, a lot of fruits and vegetables are crunchy and chewy, which promotes the production of saliva. Foods that require a lot of chewing are good for the teeth because more saliva means the mouth is naturally washed out more often.
8. Drink Plenty of Water - Water is the healthiest drink for your smile and your body. Drinking water helps rinse teeth clean and discourages tooth decay. Not only that…but keeping your body hydrated helps your mouth produce enough saliva to keep your mouth and teeth clean. Saliva naturally washes out the mouth, removing oral bacteria and the food particles that they feed upon.
9. Don’t Chew on Hard Items - Don’t chew on hard candies or ice and keep non-food items like pens, pencils, and water bottle caps out of your mouth. These items aren’t designed to be chewed and can damage your teeth.
10. See your Regular Dentist Twice a Year - Regular dental visits are necessary to preserving your oral health. Having routine cleanings every six months helps to promote good oral health and a beautiful smile. Your dentist is trained to recognize early signs of tooth decay and gum disease before they cause severe damage to your teeth and mouth. Regular checkups are the key to maintaining a healthy smile. Visiting your dentist twice a year can help you avoid complicated and expensive dental procedures later in life. This is important even though you may be seeing the orthodontist regularly. We will point out any obvious problems, but we are not doing the thorough examination with X-rays that your regular dentist is skilled at doing.
It can take some time before you start to notice changes from improved oral hygiene. While these changes won’t come overnight, they are certainly worth the time and effort, both for the sake of your smile and your overall health.
With all the health advice available online now, it’s hard to know what’s important to your oral health. If you have any questions regarding the health of your teeth and mouth, don’t hesitate to call our office.
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