Oral Hygiene Tips – Keep Your Gums & Teeth Healthy

So, you want to up your oral health hygiene routine? You’ve come to the right place!

Good oral health includes trips to the dentist and having regular professional cleanings and checkups.  But there is a lot you can do to ensure your pearly whites remain in tip-top condition.

While you may just be brushing once in the morning and once at night, we recommend implementing a more structured oral health hygiene routine for your dental health.  The good news is that achieving good oral hygiene is easy.  Here are our tips to help you maintain great oral health.

Brush Your Teeth Daily

Adopting a regular oral hygiene routine must start with the very basics and and that means brushing your teeth.  Although this may seem obvious, there are often misconceptions about when, how often and how to brush your teeth.  Brushing twice a day for two minutes is considered the standard.  This helps remove the build up of plaque and any food debris which if left behind can cause tooth decay, cavities and gum disease.

Check out your toothbrush and make sure that it is fit for purpose.  Perhaps you prefer an electric toothbrush? Choose a soft bristled brush which fits your mouth and use fluoride toothpaste.

Make sure to brush all surfaces of your teeth - including the sides and those not easy to reach areas.  And of course don't forget your tongue!

Flossing

Did you know that before brushing you should floss?  In fact flossing is one of the most effective ways at removing plaque from your teeth.

Your tooth brush is not able to get in between your teeth.  That area can carry much food debris and buildup.  You will have a much cleaner mouth if you floss (or use an interdental brush).  Good flossing habits involves flossing at least once a day and making sure you also reach those harder to get to areas such as the rear of your mouth.

Don't Forget Your Tongue

Another feature of good oral hygiene is making sure you have a clean tongue.  How is this achieved?

The obvious method is to use a toothbrush (with some toothpaste) and apply it to your tongue.  Circular motions or gentle brushing will suffice.  Don't forget to rinse your mouth afterwards.

Regular Checkups and Cleanings From Your Dentist

Even the best oral hygiene routine should be accompanied with regular dental checkups and cleanings.  There are a number of reasons why this is important:

• the dentist will check for any signs of gum disease, cavities or other mouth issues
• remove plaque and tartar buildup that cannot be removed from brushing and flossing alone

Regular dental checkups and cleanings are a great way to keep your teeth and gums healthy and stay on top of any issues.

Reduce Your Sugar (And Starch) Intake

The role of sugar on your teeth is well known, but we can often forget or ignore this fact.  Sugar is known as one of the key contributors to tooth decay and cavities.  These include the obvious culprits such as candy and other similar sweets to other processed foods that have a high sugar content.

Reducing you daily sugar intake (and maintaining good oral health practices such as daily brushing and flossing) can significantly reduce the onset of tooth decay and other dental issues.

Another lesser discussed cause of tooth decay are starches.  This is in reference to pasta and chips, bread and certain crackers.  It is once these foods breakdown that sugars are formed which bacteria feeds upon.  Such bacteria produces acid that coupled with poor dental hygiene can lead to tooth decay and compromising of your tooth and gum health.

Optimise Your Dental Routine Today!

Your teeth are an important part of your overall appearance and confidence.  Make their care a feature of your overall health and wellbeing by getting solid and consistent oral hygiene practices in your day to day routine.

Want to learn more?

Call our friendly staff at Woodville & Seaton Dental Clinic on (08) 8268 5422 and book an appointment today!