Oral hygiene is an everyday routine that is essential for keeping healthy teeth and gums. It reduces the likelihood of gum disease, tooth decay and bad breath.
Hygiene instructions include a modified bass toothbrushing technique, interdental cleaning with an interspace brush or super floss, spitting rather than rinsing, and diet advice to help minimise damage to teeth by sugar and acidic foods.
Floss Daily
Flossing removes food particles and plaque in places your toothbrush can’t reach — under the gum line and between teeth. It also helps prevent gingivitis and promotes fresh breath.
Studies have shown that flossing removes more plaque than brushing alone. It’s recommended that you floss at least once per day to maintain good oral hygiene. Floss before or after brushing, but not both at the same time.
It can be easy to forget to floss, especially if you have a busy schedule. Try to incorporate it into your morning or evening routine and commit to doing so each day.
Make it a habit by keeping your dental floss in a spot where you can see it. A container on your bathroom counter, in your desk or next to the sink works well. You could even pin a note to your mirror with a reminder. Hanging a calendar on your wall with flossing boxes crossed off can be another great way to turn it into a daily habit.
When you’re ready to floss, break off about 18 inches and wind most of it around your middle fingers, leaving a few strands in between. Grasp the floss between your thumb and index finger, then guide it into the space between two of your teeth, slipping gently up and down until you feel it cling to the side of the tooth. Curve the floss around the tooth and work it underneath the gum line, then move to a new section of floss.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
The practice of oral hygiene consists of more than just brushing and flossing. It also includes regular dental visits for X-rays, exams and cleanings. This preventive care is critical to your long-term oral health. It enables your dentist to detect problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and oral cancer at their earliest stages when they are most treatable.
Routine dental visits allow your dentist to get to know you and your unique smile situation. They can help you establish a schedule for your routine exam and cleaning appointments that fits your lifestyle needs. In general, people who are at low risk for oral diseases can benefit from visiting the dentist every six months.
Dental X-rays provide valuable information about your oral cavity by revealing hidden areas that are not visible to the naked eye, such as developing wisdom teeth, bone decay or cysts and tumors. Your dentist can identify and effectively treat these issues when they are detected early through X-rays.
It has been proven time and again that good oral health improves overall physical health. It even reduces the risk of aging and disease, such as heart disease, diabetes and stroke. In fact, the body is much healthier when the inflammation associated with poor oral health is reduced.