Thoroughly flossing and brushing your teeth every day are important components of your oral hygiene routine, however, there are other critical factors that need to be included as well. To help your mouth stay as healthy and pain-free as possible, follow the steps provided by our Newmarket dentists here.
Brushing
The best thing you can do to keep your mouth healthy is to brush your teeth two to three times a day, for two minutes each time.
To get the best results, brush each “quadrant” of your teeth (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) for 30 seconds. Carefully brush every exposed surface of your teeth, including the fronts, backs, and biting surfaces, of every tooth.
Tip: Use an Electric Toothbrush
An electric toothbrush makes it easier to clean your teeth. They require less effort than manual brushes since they perform the correct brushing movement for you. Choose an electric toothbrush with a round, rotating head, as this makes the ideal circular brushing motion.
In addition, because the head is quite small, it’s easier to clean those awkward, hard-to-reach spots, like your back molars, and the backs of your front teeth.
Flossing
You should floss your teeth once a day, ideally at night before you go to bed. Flossing dislodges food debris and build-up from between your teeth, where your toothbrush is unable to reach.
Insert the floss between two teeth and run it up and down the side of each, pulling it into a “c” shape in both directions. Proceed slowly and thoroughly, and make sure you are flossing between every two teeth.
Professional Check-ups & Dental Cleanings
Visiting the dentist every six months for a dental cleaning and check-up is essential to maintaining oral health.
Your dentist has the expertise and tools required to remove plaque and tartar build-up that you can't remove yourself with brushing and flossing.
Your dentist will also be able to identify dental problems in the beginning stages if they see you often enough, and treat them before they get worse. Oral health problems like cavities, gum disease, and even tumours, cysts, and other abnormalities are often not noticeable to the untrained eye in their early stages, so it's important to get your mouth evaluated regularly by a dental professional.
Diet
Eating a healthy diet that’s rich in calcium helps keep your teeth healthy from the inside out. Restrict consumption of sugars and starches, because oral bacteria thrive on these.
Hydration
You can prevent cavities by staying hydrated! By drinking lots of water you can help keep a sufficient flow of saliva. Saliva washes away the food particles that build up on your teeth and allows bacteria to multiply.
Supplementary Hygiene Aids
Oral hygiene aids are additions to your brushing and flossing routine. Good examples of supplementary hygiene aids include tongue cleaners, mouthwash, interdental cleaners, and oral irrigators.
These aids can help you keep your breath fresh, and prevent plaque from building up between brushing and flossing sessions. While they are not sufficient replacements for a thorough brushing and flossing routine, they can definitely help improve it.