But what does an effective daily oral health routine look like? Is brushing and flossing all there is to it? The following pointers can help you compose the best oral health routine that’ll impress your dentist during your next checkup!

Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day

While brushing your teeth two times a day for two minutes isn’t news to anyone, the quality of your brushing should be adequate enough to prevent oral disease.

To do this, you’ll want to be sure to brush all surfaces of your teeth with a soft-bristled
toothbrush. Toothbrushes with stiff or hard bristles can damage gum tissue and tooth enamel, so go for soft and brush carefully, not aggressively.

Remember not to brush too soon after eating, as this can strip away tooth enamel. Tooth
enamel is porous and can become softer after eating, especially if you eat acidic foods such as sweets or citrus fruits. You should wait at least 30 minutes after eating to brush, although the American Dental Association advises a 60-minute wait [1].

Floss Once a Day

Flossing is often overlooked when it comes to oral care but so important. Since it’s impossible to reach all the surfaces of your teeth with a toothbrush, flossing helps to clean the surfaces in-between teeth to remove plaque and bacteria that can lead to tooth decay.

You should floss once every day, gently and carefully in-between every tooth. Being gentle can help minimize any injury to the gumline; you should never floss aggressively as this can hurt gum tissue and even contribute to gum recession.

Be sure to get in hard-to-reach places; just because you have trouble getting into an area with your floss isn’t an excuse to skip it!

Brush Your Tongue

Brushing your tongue is another component of oral care that many people neglect to do. Using a tongue scraper or your toothbrush can help remove bacteria from your tongue, especially those that cause bad breath [2].

You can purchase a separate tool for this practice such as a stiffer toothbrush or a tongue scraper. However, remember there’s no need to overdo it, a gentle scraping is all that’s needed to remove excess bacteria!

Eat Well

The role of diet in the health of your smile can’t be overstated. Be sure to eat nutrient-rich foods such as leafy greens and get enough vitamins and minerals to support healthy teeth, such as calcium.

It’s also important to minimize your intake of refined sugars. In particular, soft drinks have been shown to contribute significantly to tooth decay [3].

Schedule Those Checkups

Remember not to skip the dentist even if you do take good care of your teeth. Regular checkups can help prevent tooth decay and gum disease and professional cleanings can help complete your oral care routine by removing plaque from difficult places.

Do you have an effective daily oral health routine in place? By following the above guidelines, you can ensure your smile is strong and healthy for life!

Sources:
1. https://www.mouthhealthy.org/en/brushing-mistakes-slideshow
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633265/
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2676420/

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Gingivitis

Gingivitis is the beginning stage of gum disease and can be brought on by an influx of hormones in pregnant women. Gingivitis causes gum swelling, which can mean your gums may feel tender and can even bleed during brushing. You should never let gum disease go untreated while pregnant, as research links gum disease with premature babies and low birth weight.

It’s safe to get cleanings and treatment for gum disease during your pregnancy. Your dentist may suggest that you come in for checkups and cleanings more often while you’re pregnant. You can protect both you and your child by looking for the signs of gum disease and getting checkups with your dentist!

Enamel Damage

More than half of all pregnant women will experience morning sickness at some point during their pregnancy. Vomiting causes harsh stomach acids to enter the mouth, therefore attacking tooth enamel and leading to an increased risk for cavities. Not exactly what you want to be worried about when you’re not feeling well!

Keeping up with your dental routine can help prevent enamel damage and protect your teeth from cavities. Never brush your teeth immediately after vomiting, however. It’s best to rinse your mouth with water and to wait approximately 30 minutes. This is because the acid can weaken the enamel, making it easier to remove during brushing.

Your dentist can examine your teeth for any damage from morning sickness and suggest the appropriate treatment to keep both you and your baby healthy.

Cravings for Sweets

Your cravings may vary during pregnancy; however, some women find themselves craving more sweets. Craving different types of food is normal, but don’t let your craving for sweets disrupt your oral health. Sugar can attack your tooth enamel and heighten your risk for cavities and even gum disease.

You can protect your smile by rinsing with water after eating any kind of sugar and being sure to keep up with your brushing and flossing. Do your best to eat a balanced diet during your pregnancy, and if you’re craving sweets, see if some fresh fruit will do the trick. It’s full of fiber, nutrients, and water, perfect for your teeth and gums!

Pregnancy can be an exciting yet challenging time, especially when it comes to your oral health. When you go for a checkup with your dentist, be sure to inform them of your pregnancy. Talk about what you can do to keep your smile healthy. Remember, your dentist may recommend that you come in more often to monitor any oral cavity changes to help you remain as a healthy as possible!

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Oral Cancer

During your professional cleaning, your dentist may conduct an oral cancer screening. An oral cancer screening involves both a visual and physical exam of your mouth to ensure no signs of oral cancer are present. If you have a sore in your mouth that won’t go away or a lump around your face or neck, you could have oral cancer. A dentist can help identify potential oral cancer. When you skip your cleanings, you miss this important screening that could save your life!

Gum Disease

The symptoms of gum disease can be sneaky: bad breath even after brushing or using mouthwash; bleeding while brushing once in a while; gums that look red or irritated. Many people don’t know that common symptoms like bad breath, bleeding while brushing, or red gums could be symptoms of gum disease! Gum disease can progress and eventually lead to tooth loss if not treated. Your dentist can examine your mouth for gum disease during your cleanings—but if you skip these, gum disease could be progressing and be much more difficult to treat!

Physical Health

Research links oral health to physical health! The amount of plaque in your mouth has been linked to the amount of plaque in your arteries. The healthier your mouth, the healthier your heart! Getting professional cleanings twice a year ensure that your mouth is clean and healthy. Your dentist can identify spots you’re missing while brushing or the proper techniques for flossing. When you miss your appointments, these spots keep getting missed and plaque builds up.

Tooth Decay

Cavities are very common and like gum disease, can progress if left untreated. Cavities can be difficult to notice, especially since they usually start out small. By the time you can see a cavity, it likely needs to be treated with a filling. Skipping your bi-annual teeth cleanings could leave cavities to progress in your mouth. If you consistently miss your dentist appointments, you could have cavities that get so large they’re unable to be treated with a filling—an extraction, root canal, or other form of treatment may be needed.

Scheduling an appointment at your dentist office for a teeth cleaning is easy and the appointment generally doesn’t take long. By keeping up with your oral health, you can ensure your body stays healthy as well as your mouth. You can also prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and catch oral cancer before it progresses. Keep up with your teeth cleanings— they could save your life!

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