Without good oral hygiene, our smiles become susceptible to tooth decay, dental infections, gingivitis, gum disease, and more! In order to keep your smile healthy and beautiful, then you need to maintain routine care. We’re looking at everything from proper brushing and flossing to routine checkups and cleanings. Let’s talk about what our Richfield, MN, patients can do to keep smiles healthy.
Brushing Properly
You know you need to brush, but do you know how to do so properly? Each day, you should clean your smile when you wake up and again before going to bed. We suggest using a toothbrush with soft bristles, which helps prevent any inadvertent damage to the tooth enamel. You also need to use a toothpaste that contains fluoride, as this strengthens outer tooth enamel. You should reach every available surface of your teeth. Brushing helps remove food particles and reduce the severity of plaque buildup.
Flossing Each Day
Brushing your teeth alone is not enough to properly clean your smile. You also need to floss every night before going to bed. When you floss, you reach the spaces in between the teeth, removing the bits of food a toothbrush’s bristles alone could not. You can use tape, a pick or even a water flosser, as long as you’re cleaning between your teeth thoroughly every night. Doing so helps reduce the risk of tooth decay and gum disease!
Better Diets
When we eat healthy, we not only help our waistline, but we safeguard our smiles as well. Cutting back on sugary foods and drinks and instead enjoying fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dairy products help strengthen our teeth, offering key nutrients without exposing them to harmful sugars and acids. Remember, sometimes supposedly healthy foods could contain high amounts of sugars or acids, such as fruit juice, smoothies, dried fruit, and sports drinks.
Routine Checkups and Cleanings
You also need to see us every six months for a checkup and cleaning. During this visit, we will examine your smile to look for any signs of trouble, such as cavities, gum disease, TMJ disorder, teeth grinding, and even oral cancer. The earlier we discover these issues, the sooner we can administer treatment to improve your smile’s health and stability. The cleaning portions allows our team to remove all plaque and tartar from your smile, a process that offers fresher breath, brighter teeth, and a reduced risk of tooth decay and gum disease.
Do You Have Questions About Oral Hygiene?
With good oral hygiene, you keep your smile healthy, bright, and free of serious oral health issues. To learn more about maintaining optimal oral health, schedule a consultation with Dr. Keller by calling Cedar West Family Dentistry in Richfield, MN, today at (612) 861-7188.
