Brushing and flossing your teeth are just so—we admit it—unexciting. But truthfully, there are a number of not-so-exciting activities that are absolutely essential to daily life and practicing good oral hygiene happens to be one of them. Your dentist in Bullard, Dr. Morgan, can’t necessarily make brushing and flossing exciting. He can, however, offer some advice on how you can improve your at-home oral hygiene care so your teeth are cleaner and your gums are healthier. Read on to learn more.
Make the Time for Brushing and Flossing
If anyone knows how rushed life can get it’s Dr. Morgan. In addition to running a successful dental practice, he and his wife have four young children. But even for a busy family, proper oral hygiene can often be just a matter of making time and taking time. A good brushing should last for at least two minutes. For most people, that’s a grand total of only four minutes out of every day.
Choose the Right Brush and Toothpaste
Always use a soft toothbrush with rounded bristles. Hard bristles may feel as if they are cleaning better, but they are far more likely to scratch the enamel surface of teeth. Also, select an American Dental Association approved toothpaste with fluoride, which is mineral that strengthens tooth enamel so you avoid decay. Fluoride can also help to remineralize your tooth in spots where enamel may have begun to wear thin.
Brush Methodically
Have you ever watched children brush their teeth? They tend to brush here, then over there, then somewhere else and so on. You stand a much better chance of cleaning all the surfaces of your teeth well when you brush in a pattern each and every time. Dr. Morgan suggests you divide your mouth into quadrants and then brush all of the inner and outer tooth surfaces several times in each quadrant.
Brush Your Tongue
The same stuff that gets stuck on your teeth can also become trapped in the cracks and crevices of your tongue. Stick out your tongue and brush as far back as you can without gagging.
Don’t Forget to Floss
No matter how well you brush, you may still leave behind debris and plaque if you don’t floss between your teeth. Using a long string, gently guide the floss between two teeth and move up and down and back and forth, reaching all the way down to the gum line.
Fresh and Healthy Mouth
What happens when you don’t brush and floss? You not only run the risk of tooth decay and gum disease, but you are also more likely to have bad breath. Oral bacteria are always excreting waste, which is usually the precursor to that offensive odor.
Contact Our Office Today
If you would like more information on how to better your daily oral hygiene routine, Dr. Morgan and his team would be glad to help. We offer tips at each dental checkup, so call to schedule a visit today!