When you take care of your smile each day, you keep your teeth bright and also help avoid complications like cavities or periodontal disease. To do so, you need to brush and floss properly. In today’s blog, your Richfield, MN, dentist talks about how to correctly clean your smile, and when you need a checkup and cleaning.
Taking Time to Brush Properly
We should take time to brush our teeth in the morning and again at night, each evening every day. And this is for kids as well as adults! Use a toothbrush with soft bristles (you can use electric or manual) to avoid inadvertent enamel damage or gum recession. Your toothpaste should contain fluoride, as this helps treat the outer enamel and prevent cavities. Be sure you clean every available surface, and each session should last about two minutes. Approach the teeth with the bristles at a 45-degree angle to reach the sides and top, and clean the front with circular motions. This helps remove trapped food particles to prevent periodontal issues and cavities.
Cleaning Between Teeth
While brushing is effective, it cannot reach between the teeth very well, where food particles could be trapped. Which means brushing alone could still leave your smile vulnerable to trouble. However, by flossing between your teeth each evening, you remove what a toothbrush alone cannot. Use the floss tape or pick to gently clean up and down each side of every tooth, and dip below the gum line when you do. This removes trapped food particles and helps lower the risk of tooth decay and periodontal issues.
Checkups and Cleanings
These actions above help limit the severity of plaque buildup and tartar, but to remove the buildup completely and safeguard your smile, you need to see us every six months. With the checkup portion, we examine the smile with advanced technology to identify areas of concern and treat problems before they threaten smile stability. The cleaning allows us to thoroughly remove all plaque and tartar buildup from the teeth, which helps safeguard them against poor oral health, while also fighting bad breath and teeth stains. You should see us every six months for these visits, and they benefit people of all ages.
If you have any questions about how we examine and clean your smile, or about proper brushing and flossing, then contact our team today to learn more.
Do You Have Questions About Preventive Dentistry?
We would like to help you avoid the onset of problems like tooth decay and gum disease. If you have any questions about caring for your teeth and gums on a daily basis, or if you would like to schedule an appointment, contact your Richfield, MN, dentist, Dr. Keller, by calling (612) 861-7188.
