We cannot stress enough how important it is to stay on top of your regular dental cleanings as it is crucial for your oral health. However, it is also important to keep up with your dental care routine at home!

Follow these 6 simple tips to help improve your dental hygiene and prevent potential problems from occurring.

1. Brush at least twice a day

This might seem like common sense, but you would be surprised by how many people fail to brush at least two times throughout the day. When we say brush your teeth, we are referring to a thorough two-minute brush. It is recommended by the ADA to use an electric toothbrush, but a manual one will also work just as well. Inspire suggests using the Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush which removes up to ten times more plaque and improves gum health. If you prefer a manual toothbrush, we suggest using a soft-bristled brush with a compact head. When brushing, use a gentle, circular overlapping motion and make sure to get the front and back of every tooth.

2. Clean in between your teeth

Make sure you are flossing once a day but note that there are other ways to keep your gums an in between your teeth clean. We recommend using a Water Pik Water Flosser after you floss manually to remove the excess debris that has been loosened.  If you have braces, implants, crowns, or any other dental work that is more difficult to keep clean, you might want to use your water flosser more than once a day. This may also be the case if you have gum disease.

3. Don’t neglect your tongue

Did you know that all those little papillae on your tongue hold on to bacteria that can affect your mouth’s health? Papillae are the little bumps on the top of your tongue that help grip food while your teeth are chewing. Tongue cleaning is one of the most neglected oral care steps in the US. We suggest to buy a tongue scraper and scrape your tongue once a day. Not only will this make your breath fresher, but it will also prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Fun fact, it also improves the sense of taste!

4. Watch your diet

We are all aware that sugar causes cavities, but it is way more complex than that. Any time you eat or drink anything that is not plain water, the pH levels in your mouth drop. Depending on your oral health and what you are consuming, that pH could remain low for a long time, which puts you at risk for cavities and gum disease. It is important to not only watch what you are eating, but also how often.

5. Get physical

The health of your overall body directly affects the health of your mouth. A healthy diet is critical when it comes to good oral health, but getting active is just as essential. One study published in the Journal of Dentistry showed that regular physical activity can boost periodontal health. To be more specific, people who exercised regularly had a 54% lower likelihood of developing periodontitis compared to those who led a stationary life style. Taking care of your body is taking care of your mouth and vice versa!

6. Breathe through your nose

When we breathe through our mouths, we dry out the oral tissues causing inflammation and bacterial growth. There are exercises you can do to help retrain your breath. This is not something that is necessary, but just something to keep in mind!

If you follow these 6 tips and make sure you are seeing the dentist at least twice of year, you should always maintain decent oral health!

Are you in need of an appointment? Get scheduled today!

www.inspiredentalgroup.com/

(716) 362-4800