7 Oral Health Maintenance Tips
Oct, 26, 2021
Taking care of your oral health is crucial for a healthy smile and avoiding cavities or other dental problems. Many measures can be taken and added to your teeth care routine to ensure healthy oral conditions.
1. Be Mindful of Your Habits:
It’s no secret that your daily habits will add up to reflect the state of your oral health, from when you choose to snack on sweets, when or how often you brush your teeth, and what dental products you use in themselves. So limit sugary and acidic foods, and be mindful of when you choose to consume certain foods.
2. Floss regularly
Don’t neglect to floss. However annoying or tedious it can be, get in the habit of flossing your teeth once a day. Flossing properly stimulates your gums, reduces plaque, and can be more beneficial than brushing itself. Check out our article on top reasons to floss regularly for more a in-depth overview of the benefits of flossing regularly. If you find flossing difficult, try out some flossing alternatives like ready-to-use dental flossers or even water floss!
Tips for flossing properly:
Tie the ends of the floss together two times tightly until you have a circular piece of floss. Now you can wrap one end of the floss on each of your index fingers, guiding the floss between your teeth with your thumb and index.
Don’t rush it: take your time and treat flossing like a priority. Take it one tooth at a time, and look in the mirror while doing so. Make it a task to reach every nook and to scrap as much plaque off each tooth as you can.
Be gentle: guide the floss between your teeth up and down to your gums. When the floss reaches your gum, curve it up against one tooth, angling it inward then outward.
Don’t be scared of little blood: always be gentle with your flossing, but don’t be scared if you see a little blood. This is a sign that your gums are not used to this action and that you should be flossing more often and brushing your gums slightly more when you brush your teeth.
Keep it up: flossing regularly is key; once a day is what you should aim for. Once you get the hang of it can be fun to clean your teeth with floss! After flossing properly, you will feel how clean the surfaces of your teeth are compared to prior. This is key for helping prevent gingivitis or other gum diseases
4. Work on Good brushing technique
Proper brushing technique is crucial. Over time, even if you brush twice a day but are not doing so correctly, the surfaces of your teeth or areas of the gum that are not regularly appropriately brushed will start to develop cavities and gum disease.
Tips for good brushing:
Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle: aiming the brush bristles more on an angle will help more efficiently reach the areas where your teeth meet your gum.
Brush in a circular motion: brush in a back-to-forth manner and in a circular motion to get the whole surface of your teeth cleaned.
Take your time: take about two minutes to brush your teeth. Try to reach every area, especially the very back teeth (close your jaw a little and tilt your brush upward/ downward to get the hard to reach areas of your back teeth)
It Shouldn’t Hurt: if areas of your teeth or gums hurt while brushing, either you are pushing too hard, or you are starting to develop cavities in that area. Be mindful of what your mouth is telling you.
Keep your equipment clean: rinse your toothbrush after each use and allow it to dry. Don’t cover your toothbrush in closed containers as it can develop bacteria growth over time.
Dont Forget Your Tongue! Your tongue stores bacteria; clean it with your brush or a tongue scraper
5. Use Proper Dental Equipment
Consider using an electric toothbrush rather than your plain toothbrush. Electric brushes will help reduce plaque and gingivitis (a mild form of gum disease) more than your manual toothbrush, as you achieve a much higher circulation per second.
Use fluoride-based toothpaste for maximum efficiency. The fluoride acts as a protective barrier for your teeth; it works by fighting germs that develop decay on the surface of your teeth.
6. Use Mouthwash
Mouthwash is an effective way to clean hard to brush areas in your mouth. The fluoride in the mouthwash re-mineralizes the teeth and is super effective and necessary for good oral health. Also, because fluoride is liquid, swooshing mouthwash in your mouth will reach places that you wouldn’t reach with brushing itself.
7. See your Dentist at least twice a year
Consistently visiting your dentist is vital for oral health longevity. Even if you are on top of your oral health routine with brushing, flossing, and mouthwash, it’s crucial to get your teeth professionally cleaned every six months to remove calculus buildup. By visiting your dentist twice a year, you are setting yourself up for good oral health. In addition, your dentist will set you straight in what methods you should follow in your specific case to maintain a pain-free, beautiful smile.
How to Find Us
Address
2929 Barnet Hwy #2310, Coquitlam, BC. V3B 5R5
Phone
+1 (604) 554-0244
info@aarkdental.com
