Dentists are your best friends when it comes to taking care of your teeth. Every time you come in for your dental appointment, they examine your mouth diligently. They also come up with ways to help you achieve good oral health or keep your pearly whites looking bright and beautiful. Because of their expert care, you can walk out of their office with a fresh feeling every time.
However, you should remember that you also have a role to play when it comes to your oral wellness. It’s not a smart practice to rely solely on your dentist for correcting your poor dental hygiene.
To help and inspire you to keep your teeth clean in between your appointments, here are some smart tips to follow:
1. Brush After A Sugary Treat
After frequent trips to the dentist, you now know by heart that sugar isn’t good for your teeth. Plaque bacteria use this sugar to produce acids that eat away at your teeth’s enamel, which is its hard protective layer. Eventually, this leads to cavities.
To prevent such problems, the most straightforward solution is to limit eating or drinking anything containing sugar. If you do consume one, you must brush your teeth afterwards to scrub away oral bacteria.
2. Brush Properly
Speaking of brushing, you should know that there’s a proper way to clean your pearly whites.
People commonly brush their teeth from left to right. However, doctors recommend that you brush from top to bottom, starting at the gum line and moving the brush in tiny circular motions. You also don’t need to scrub vigorously as plaque can be easily removed.
3. Floss Daily and Properly
No matter how long you brush, there will always be tiny pieces of food and bacteria that the bristles won’t be able to reach. For this reason, you need to floss at least every day. This allows you to reach those minute particles that may be hiding between your teeth and under the gums.
The proper way to do it is to start from the teeth on your lower jaw and insert the floss gently, moving it upward. Don’t rush and take your time to floss properly; otherwise, this can irritate your gums and even make them bleed.
4. Finish Your Oral Hygiene Routine With Mouthwash
To achieve the best results and keep your whole mouth clean, finish your routine by swishing. Mouthwash is effective in killing any remaining bacteria, and it also leaves your mouth feeling and smelling fresh.
What’s even better is that using it is simple—all you have to do is swish a small amount of the liquid for at least thirty seconds before spitting it out. You don’t need to rinse afterward.
If you are not quite sure what product to use, you can seek your dentists’ advice. They may be able to suggest one that suits your health needs and budget just right.
Conclusion
Don’t pay attention to your oral health only when your dental checkup is around the corner. If you truly want to achieve healthy teeth and gums, you should incorporate the tips above into your daily lifestyle. Once you start caring for your teeth every day, you’ll start seeing positive signs. You might even impress your dentist on your next visit!
Ivy Rose Family Dentistry is a state-of-the-art dental facility in Mansfield, Texas. We provide personal and passionate service across a spectrum of dental services in restorative and cosmetic dentistry. Most importantly, we put the care and comfort of our patients first. Head to our website to take a virtual tour of our office or make an appointment today!
