subject: Daily Oral Health Care- Follow These Steps To A Healthy Smile [print this page] Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means your teeth are clean and free of debris, your gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when you brush or floss, and bad breath is not a constant problem. Good oral health involves more than just brushing your teeth every night before bed. In order to keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime, there are simple steps you can take to keep smiling longer.
Develop and Follow a Daily Oral Health Routine
Based on discussions with your dentist, while considering your unique general health and oral health situations, develop an oral health routine that is easy to follow on a daily basis. For example, if you are pregnant, diabetic or have any other underlying diseases, or orthodontic appliances, you may require additional instruction and perhaps treatments to keep your mouth healthy. Make sure you understand the additional care or treatment that is needed in maintaining your oral health, commit to the extra tasks, and work them into your daily health routine.
Use Fluoride
The use of fluoride can benefit both children and adults. Fluoride is used to strengthen developing teeth in children and prevents tooth decay in both children and adults. Toothpastes and mouth rinses are good sources of fluoride. Your dentist can also prescribe a stronger concentration of fluoride in a gel, toothpaste or rinse if you need it. Additionally, fluoride levels in tap water may not be high enough without supplementation to prevent tooth decay. You can contact your water utility to determine the level for your area. Talk to your dentist about your fluoride needs and how you can get the most out of fluoride.
Brush and Floss Daily
Everyone should brush his or her teeth at least twice a day. It is often even better to brush your teeth three times a day or after every meal to ensure proper removal of food particles. Brushing your teeth helps to remove plaque, which is a complex mass of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. If plaque is not removed every day, it can turn the sugars found in most foods and drinks into acids that lead to decay.
In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day, it is also important to floss your teeth at least once a day. Proper flossing helps to remove plaque and food particles in places where a toothbrush cannot easily reach - under the gum line and between your teeth. Because plaque build-up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, daily flossing is highly recommended.
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet with Limited Snacking
It is important to eat a variety of foods, particularly those that fall in each category of the food pyramid, but eat fewer foods that contain sugars and starches. These foods produce the most acids in the mouth, which begin the decay process. If you must snack, brush our teeth afterward or chew a piece of sugarless gum.
Good oral health care involves more than just brushing. To keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime of use, it is important to follow simple steps. Talk to your dentist in West Covina today for more information on how to properly care for your smile.
