October is National Dental Hygiene Month! The entire month across America, dental professionals promote the importance of good oral health and regular cleanings, and celebrate their hardworking hygienists. Good oral hygiene not only prevents bad breath and tooth decay, it also lessens your chance of gum disease, tooth loss and promoted overall good health.
This month, make it a goal to improve your dental hygiene. Here is how:
- Brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes. In addition, make sure to choose a soft-bristled toothbrush to ensure the safety of your gums and tooth enamel. Do you struggle with meeting the two-minute mark? Set a timer! There are electric toothbrush options that indicate when to move the brush, when you are brushing too hard and when you have brushed the necessary length. Follow the American Dental Association and replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months, and immediately after recovering from any sickness.
- Do not skip flossing! Brushing alone cannot remove plaque between your teeth. If you are not flossing, you are missing cleaning 2/3rds of your teeth. We recommend flossing before brushing, so that you can brush away the loose plaque. Make it a goal to floss at least once a day. For comparison of manual and electric toothbrushes, read our previous blog post.
- Your oral health does not end at teeth. Use mouthwash to remove bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot. Cosmetic mouthwash aims to eliminate bad breath temporarily. Therapeutic mouthwash has active ingredients that go further to fight gingivitis, decay, and infections. To choose the best for you, refer to this article by the American Dental Association.
Don?t forget to schedule your next cleaning! Give us a call. We can?t wait to see you!