This Old Tooth

4 Oral Hygiene Routines to Optimum Dental Health

Today I just wanted to take the opportunity to talk about the four essential oral hygiene things that you need to do to keep your mouth healthy, optimum dental health

Oral Hygiene Key #1 – Brush Twice a Day for Optimum Dental Health

The first thing is to brush with a soft-bristle toothbrush twice a day for two minutes.

Here’s the number 1 oral hygiene key, the size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth, allowing you to reach all areas easily. The proper brushing technique is to place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums. Gently move the brush back and forth in short tooth-wide strokes, brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces of your teeth. Then, to clean the inside surfaces of your front teeth, fit the brush vertically and make several up and down strokes. Don’t forget to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and to prevent bad breath as well.

Oral Hygiene Key #2 – Floss Your Teeth for

Is Flossing Your Teeth Really Necessary?

The second essential element to a healthy smile is to floss your teeth once a day.

Flossing removes the plaque and bacteria that accumulates between your teeth, which you can’t remove with brushing alone. Plaque can eventually harden into calculus or tartar. If that happens, you can’t get it off by yourself. It has to be removed by your dental hygienist or your dentist.

Oral Hygiene Key #3 – Rinse for Optimum Dental Health

Rinse because teeth alone account for less than half of the mouth. Rinsing can help eliminate biofilm and bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot. Rinsing often along with brushing and flossing may help reduce the chance of dental decay and infection. However, please avoid rinses that have alcohol in them because mouthwashes that contain alcohol can dry your mouth out and that can increase your likelihood of getting tooth decay as well.

Oral Hygiene Key #4 – Sugarless Gum

Clinical studies have shown that chewing sugarless gum with xylitol for 20 minutes following meals can help prevent tooth decay. The chewing of sugarless gum increases the flow of saliva which washes away food and other debris, neutralizes acids produced by bacteria in the mouth and provides disease-fighting substances throughout your mouth.

How to Get Your Kids To Brush

Here’s a tip on how to get your kids to brush. Teach them young when habits are most likely to form. By setting a good example, kids love to imitate their parents. If they see you devoting the care and attention to your teeth that you need to keep a beautiful healthy smile, they will do the same.