Daily Oral Hygiene
 Learning more about daily oral hygiene and incorporating tips into your routine can make a significant difference in your oral health. At Pine Belt Periodontics, PLLC, we strive to not only provide restorative care, but also the education to prevent problems before they occur. We welcome your questions, and are happy to provide you with guidance for yourself and your family. The information below is a good starting point of general tips, and we can also provide more specific information during your regular visit.
General Daily Oral Hygiene Tips
There are tips that we can provide to improve your hygiene technique, including:
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Brush Twice a Day: Dentists have been promoting brushing your teeth twice a day for a while now. To break that down even more, we recommend that when you brush at night, before going to bed, that you spend the most time. At the end of the day, bacteria and food debris are highest in your mouth, and you don’t want decay causing bacteria to work on your teeth all night while you sleep. Your morning brushing is simply to freshen your breath.
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Brush Each Quad: During your nightly brushing routine, consider your mouth divided into four quadrants and each quadrant should be brushed for thirty seconds. We may not be able to thoroughly examine each tooth every evening, but by applying this directed amount of time, we can assume the quadrant to be clean of plaque and debris from the surfaces of your teeth.
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Angle of the Brush: While brushing, be sure to angle the brush toward the gums and brush along the teeth and gums. Bacteria can often slip between the tooth and gums and we want to rid the space of infection causing bacteria.
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Floss Options: Traditional thread floss is a great tool, and it comes with a variety of options. Next time you’re at the store, check them out. Some have mint, some are thinner, and some are thicker. If thread floss does not work for you, try something different. There are flossing sticks, water piks and more; just be sure to floss. Flossing is done to remove debris and bacteria from between your teeth and is a very important step in your hygiene routine. Many parents find that if they hand a flossing stick to their age appropriate child while they watch tv, the child will naturally start playing with it and floss their teeth. Find the tool and method that works for you. We want you to be successful.
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Drink Water: Our body has a great natural defense to clean our mouth - saliva. Saliva washes away debris and particles in our mouth. We can help this natural defense by drinking lots of water. Water not only hydrates our body and increases saliva production, it also washes our mouth as it’s consumed.
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Watch You Food Choices: Sugar is a huge contributor to cavities and decay. It may sound simple to most to be cautious about cookies and cakes, but sugar is present in so many foods that we don’t consider. Breads, pastas, and even fruits contain high levels of sugar. Be aware of your sugar intake. |
For more information on caring for your teeth at home, talk to a member of our team.
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