Practicing Good Dental Habits at Home
At Karalee family dental, we know good dental care starts in the home. That’s why our preventative dentistry focuses not only on treatment, but also aims to educate patients on good dental habits and routines they can start using at home.
We want our patients to achieve optimum oral health to keep their smile beautiful and healthy as long as possible. Here are some of our tips to maintaining healthy teeth and gums.
The Best way to Brush
We all know brushing is important, which is why most people will brush their teeth at least twice a day. This is a good start – however, if the brushing technique is poor, you may not be removing all the bad stuff, like plaque, to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Not only that, but when you brush your teeth the wrong way, you may actually strip the enamel from your teeth, potentially causing permanent damage.
The back and forth sawing motion that most people settle for can be damaging to the teeth. It’s been recommended that you spend at least 2 minutes brushing – this sounds small but most people don’t make it to the 2 minute mark!
With your toothbrush at a 44 degree angle to the gums, use short strokes (half a tooth to one tooth wide) against the gum line, all the way to the very back teeth. Move on to the chewing surfaces of the teeth, brushing in short strokes (one tooth wide) back and forth.
Cleaning the back of your teeth is important, hold your brush vertically and use gentle up and down strokes on the backs of each tooth. Finish by brushing your tongue in a sweeping front to back motion to remove the bacteria – this will leave you with fresh breath.
Flossing
Dentists have been reiterating the benefits of flossing to good oral hygiene for years, and people are starting to take notice. More people are picking up the floss, but there are still many out there who don’t floss the recommended once per day or use proper flossing technique. Daily flossing is important, because brushing alone cannot reach the entire surface area of your teeth.
Start with clean, washed hands, so you’re not introducing more bacteria into your mouth. Then, using approximately 45cm of floss, wrap the ends around the middle finger on each hand, resting on the thumbs and index fingers. If you need to, you can wrap the floss around the index fingers, but it’s better to leave them free to manipulate the floss.
Guide the floss down between the teeth using a gentle zigzag motion. Once you reach the bottom of the tooth, wrap the floss around it in a C-shape. Slide the floss against the tooth in an up and down motion, including under the gum line. Repeat this process on each side of each tooth.
A Tooth-Friendly Diet
To keep those teeth in tip-top shape, you need to consider the effects of diet on dental health. We all know soft drink is bad for the teeth, but acidic juices, cordials, sports and energy drinks can also be damaging in high quantities. Try to limit acidic drinks where you can.
Soft drinks are not only bad for teeth because of their acidity, they’re also full of sugar. A sweet treat now and then shouldn’t hurt, but high sugar consumption will take a toll on your teeth. Too much sugar will lead to tooth decay and cavities. Maintaining a healthy diet that is low and sugar will benefit your overall well being and is better for your teeth.
To maintain healthy teeth, it is recommended that snacking is limited between meals. When you do need a snack, choose a healthy option like fruit, yoghurt, vegetables and cheese – dairy products actually help to reverse tooth decay.
Book a Check-Up
No amount of good home dental care can substitute a visit to the dentist. In addition to practicing good dental habits at home, you should still book regular dental check-ups to support your good work. Routine check-ups are an important part of maintaining your dental hygiene and health, and it’s recommended you visit your dentist at least once every 6 months.
Get proactive with your dental care, so you can enjoy a perfect smile for a whole lifetime.
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