Are You Keeping Good Oral Hygiene Habits?

What your dentist in Vancouver wants you to knoworal hygiene

If you’ve grown up keeping good oral hygiene habits, you’re lucky. Many adults grew up during a time when good oral hygiene wasn’t part of their daily routines. That’s why many adults have a mouth full of fillings and crowns. Thankfully, times have changed! Children, teens and young adults are now growing up with the skills necessary for a beautiful, strong smile.

If you or your children haven’t begun practicing good oral hygiene habits, it’s not too late! Dr. Jill Markos in Vancouver, WA, wants to help you develop the skills necessary so you can enjoy a great smile for life.

It’s important to practice good oral hygiene habits because it’s the best way to remove plaque. It’s important to remove plaque thoroughly and regularly because plaque contains millions of tiny bacteria that can destroy your smile. The bacteria in the plaque produce toxins strong enough to eat away at tooth enamel, causing tooth decay. The toxins can also infect your gums, causing gum disease, and destroy the supporting bone, causing periodontal disease.

You can do a lot to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and periodontal problems by following these simple steps:

Brush your teeth after meals and before you go to sleep. Always use a soft-bristled toothbrush with fluoride toothpaste and brush your teeth in a gentle, circular motion. You don’t need to press down hard; it’s the movement, not the pressure that cleans your teeth. Brush along the gumline, at an angle between the teeth and gums.

Floss at least once each day to get in between your teeth, where the toothbrush can’t reach. Using a small piece of floss or floss picks, wrap around each tooth as you floss. This technique helps the floss adhere to the shape of the tooth so you are able to floss the roots and deep down in between teeth.

You can also add a fluoride mouthrinse before you go to sleep. Allow the mouthrinse residue to remain on your teeth so that it may remineralize your tooth enamel.

Good oral hygiene habits are simple and don’t require much time out of your day, but the benefits are great. For more information about good oral hygiene habits and other dental issues, call Dr. Markos in Vancouver, WA. She can partner with you to make your smile great, so call today!

Contact Us