subject: Keep Smiling All Year Long By Maintaining Proper Oral Hygiene [print this page] If you don't take proper care of your teeth and manage your oral health, you may find yourself spending more money than you need to for restorative dental care. Dental hygiene is the process by which preventative dental care is provided by your dentist to keep you smiling longer. Knowing the basics of good oral hygiene can make a big difference in the health of your smile down the road. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly.
Brush Your Teeth Properly
Proper brushing requires at least two minutes, twice a day. Most adults don't even come close to brushing long enough. In order to get a feel for the time involved, try using a stop watch, or kitchen timer. While brushing, use short, gentle strokes, paying extra attention to the gumline, hard-to-reach back teeth and areas around fillings, crowns or other restorations. It is important to concentrate on thoroughly cleaning each section of your mouth as follows:
*Clean the outer surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
*Clean the inner surfaces of your upper teeth, then your lower teeth
*Clean your chewing surfaces
*For fresher breath, be sure to brush your tongue, too
Most dentists agree that a soft-bristled brush is best for removing plaque and debris from your teeth. Small-headed brushes are also preferable, since they can better reach all areas of the mouth, including hard reaching back teeth. For many, an electric toothbrush may be a good alternative as well because it can do a better job of cleaning teeth, particularly for those who have difficulty brushing or have limited manual dexterity.
How to Floss Your Teeth
Brushing your teeth is not the only necessity, flossing is very important too. Proper flossing removes plaque and food particles where a toothbrush cannot easily reach - under the gumline and between your teeth. Since plaque buildup can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, daily flossing is highly recommended. To receive the maximum benefits from flossing, use the following technique:
*Start out using approximately 18 inches of floss and wind most of the floss around each middle finger, leaving an inch or two of floss to work with.
*Holding the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers, slide it gently up-and-down between your teeth.
*Gently curve the floss around the base of each tooth, making sure you go beneath the gumline.
*Use clean sections of floss as you move from tooth to tooth
*To remove the floss, use the same back-and-forth motion to bring the floss up and away from the teeth.
Taking good care of your mouth, teeth and gums is a worthy goal in and of itself. It can help prevent bad breath, tooth decay and gum disease, helping you to keep your teeth as you get older. Talk to your dentist in Montreal today for more information on proper oral hygiene maintenance and to set up your annual checkup and dental cleaning.
