Are You Doing Enough For Your Oral Health?
Your dentist wants your smile to be healthy and strong. When you take care of your teeth, you have a greater likelihood of retaining most or all of your teeth as you age. Once a tooth is lost, it cannot be replaced with a new tooth, even if it can be replaced with a dental implant or a denture of some sort. You want to preserve the natural teeth you have in the best way you can. Your dentist wants you to do the following things to ensure you're doing what's best for your oral health.
Brush and floss every day
You know you should brush your teeth and floss daily, but you may not know how often you should do these things. As a general rule, you want to try to brush your teeth following every meal you have, but this can be hard to accomplish when you have work, kids, and life in general to attend to. At the very least, try to rinse your mouth out with water between meals or brush your teeth with water and a toothbrush.
Floss daily, whenever and wherever you can. You can use nylon floss, floss picks, or another type of flossing agent to get your flossing taken care of.
Use mouthwash on occasion
Mouthwash should be used on occasion to help battle bad breath and germs that float around in your mouth. Don't rely on mouthwash alone to keep your mouth clean because mouthwash that contains alcohol can dry out your gums or cause sores over time. Make sure to use mouthwash — on occasion — that has gingivitis-fighting agents in it to further help your smile out.
Watch your toothpaste
Whether you are into using fluoride toothpaste or you like using a natural alternative, watch the type of toothpaste you use in general. This is especially the case when you have tooth whitening toothpaste in the home. Whitening toothpaste often contains particles that can be abrasive or scratching to tooth enamel, which cannot be replaced once you have the damage done. Whitening toothpaste can also contain hydrogen peroxide, which can also be harsh to your mouth.
Your dentist will give you a tutorial on the best types of toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, and other agents to use on your mouth. Your smile will be greatly improved if you also continue to see the dentist on the regular. Your oral health will be best protected if you let your dentist guide you in the best direction.
For more information on taking care of your teeth, you can visit websites like http://www.brooksidedentalgroup.com.
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