Advice from a Dentist on your Dental Health
Are the right and wrong ways to brush your teeth? Well, you’d be surprised, but there definitely are dental health guidelines you should follow for the best dental hygiene. Always seek your dentist for personalised advice, but as a rule your dental health can be maintained by adopting these brushing and cleaning techniques.
Perfect your tooth brushing technique
The ideal angle to hold your toothbrush at when cleaning your teeth is 45-degrees to your gums. Use short back and forth motions to scrub away at your teeth carefully. Make sure you rotate the brush round to the backs of your teeth as well, as this is an area that is commonly neglected and therefore is prime real estate for plaque. Make sure you’re not brushing too hard either, as this can irritate the soft tissues in your mouth such as your gums. You need to use less force than you’d think for proper teeth cleaning.
Perfect your brushing habits
When to brush, how long for, and when to replace your toothbrush are three key pillars in maintaining your dental health and effective cleaning habits. As for when to brush, you don’t need a dentist to tell you that you should be brushing your teeth once in the morning and once before bed. When you do brush your teeth, you need to make sure you brush them for at least 2 minutes. A good way of measuring this is listening to a song or podcast and brushing your bottom row of teeth for 1 minute, and then switching to your upper jaw for the last minute. Also, you should replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months to make sure the brushing apparatus you use are kept fresh and clean. Replace it sooner if you start to notice the bristles fraying and bending outwards. If this happens before 3 months of use, you might be brushing too hard.
Flossing and mouthwash
These are two commonly neglected steps to dental hygiene because they’re often seen as accessories to brushing rather than hygiene steps in their own right. Your dentist will always remind you to floss, as will your dental hygienist, because it removes plaque from places that brushing cannot reach – between your teeth. Flossing, when practised regularly, is a good way of fighting against gum disease. Using an antiseptic mouthwash also helps to keep your gums and teeth healthy as it can cleanse away the bad bacteria that cause the build-up of plaque. The swilling and rinsing motion used with mouthwash can also perform a sort of liquid exfoliation on the teeth, shaking loose any residual debris that was hiding away.
Remember to visit your dentist
Visiting your dentist is always a good way to keep on top of your developing dental health. We can spot any problems developing, keep an eye on their progression through multiple appointments, and suggest treatments and products to better your dental health. Your dentist may also recommend an appointment with a dental hygienist, as they are particularly skilled at promoting the health of your gums. Either way, your dentist in Cornwall is definitely your best friend in dental hygiene. Visit the professionals at The Smile Centre and book your first appointment on 01579 342348 for happier, healthier smiles.