Each day, we need to take time to thoroughly clean our teeth to protect smiles from cavities and gingivitis. In today’s blog, your Richfield, MN, dentist talks about how to improve your brushing and flossing habits, and why this is so essential for keeping teeth and gums healthy. We also discuss the benefits of checkups and cleaning appointments!
Brushing Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth is one of the most important things you can do for preventative care. You likely are aware of this, but there are certain things you can do to improve your technique. For starters, make sure you are brushing for at least two minutes, two times a day. A lot of electronic toothbrushes have built-in timers, so make sure you brush until it tells you to stop. If you do not have this kind of brush, set a timer on your phone until you get a good sense of what brushing for two minutes feels like. You also want to make sure you are getting all surfaces of your teeth — the top, outside, and inside. Don’t forget to brush your tongue as well for fresher breath.
Flossing Each Night
In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day, you should also be flossing at least once a day. In order to maximize effectiveness, start with about 18 inches of floss, and wind most of it around your fingers, leaving about two inches to actually floss with. When flossing, curve the floss around the base of each tooth, and make sure you go beneath the gum line. As you go from tooth to tooth, you should use new, clean sections of floss. While you want to thoroughly get between every tooth, don’t be too aggressive, as you do not want to hurt or bruise your gums. You can also use disposable floss picks or a water pick if that is easier for you.
Care in Our Office
It is also important to visit the office twice a year for a cleaning and exam. When we clean your teeth, we can remove built-up plaque and bacteria that brushing at home simply won’t remove. This will leave your mouth feeling fresh and healthy. Moreover, during your exam, we can see if there are any larger issues looming that we can then address quickly before anything more severe develops. As always, we will thoroughly explain everything we find, so you will be completely in the loop.
Talk To Your Richfield, MN Dentist About Homecare
We would like to help you understand how to care for your smile from home. To find out how to keep your teeth and gums strong from home, then contact your Richfield, MN, dentist, Dr. Keller, by calling (612) 861-7188.
