You may see or hear about a lot of at-home remedies and routines for dental health, and some of them may work while others may not. However, all you really need to remember for excellent preventive dental care are the 4 daily habits–brush, floss, rinse, and awareness.
If you follow these four daily habits, you’ll find that your dental visits are not only quick and painless, but your teeth are cleaner and whiter, and you’ll own a more confident smile!
Brush
The one everyone knows–brush your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes each. It’s the single most important method for reducing plaque and preventing cavities, gum disease, and other bacteria-related diseases. Maintain a healthy smile by diligently brushing every part of your mouth! Most important is to go to sleep with clean teeth.
Floss
Buildup under the gumline and between teeth is a leading cause of cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal, or gum, disease. Brushing can’t get everything, so you should be flossing every day to get to all the parts of your mouth that the toothbrush can’t reach. It only takes a few minutes to get to the areas between each tooth, and it promotes strong gum and tooth health.
Rinse
While it’s not a substitute for brushing and flossing, it’s smart to add rinsing with an antiseptic mouthwash to your daily dental care routine. Try to only buy mouthwash with the ADA seal of approval and no alcohol. Since teeth make up less than half of your mouth, mouthwash allows you to sanitize the rest of it.
Pay Attention
When you’re just sitting at your desk or in bed, be mindful of how your teeth are aligned within your mouth. Many people have poor habits such as excessive chewing, grinding on teeth, clenching, or they simply have a naturally misaligned jaw.
If you feel that your teeth are not aligned, or hear any kind of popping or cracking sounds in your jaw, schedule an appointment! Your jaw and teeth should be operating like a well-oiled machine, and just like a machine, if it breaks down, it’ll lead to bigger problems down the road.
Of course, even with perfect oral health, you should still be scheduling annual dental appointments. Schedule one now with Dr. Klayman and the Red Bank Smiles team!