Improving Oral Health With Brushing And Flossing

cleveland brushing and flossingWhen you take good care of your smile from home, you help lower the risk of an array of serious oral health problems. Which is why we want to make sure you understand how to brush and floss properly. In today’s blog, your Cleveland, TX, dentist talks about how to ensure optimal oral hygiene from home.

Better Brushing Habits

To help clean your smile and fight a variety of serious oral health concerns, you need to brush your teeth first thing in the morning, and then right before going to bed each night. Each session should take at least two minutes. You should approach your smile with the toothbrush’s bristles at a 45-degree angle to clean the front and along the gum line, and try to clean every available surface. You should clean the fronts with circular motions too.

The toothbrush you select is important too. We recommend one with soft bristles to avoid inadvertent enamel damage or gum recession, and you go with a manual or electric one, both are effective. Make sure your toothpaste has fluoride too! You can look for the American Dental Association’s Seal of Acceptance on the packaging. This ingredient helps strengthen the outer enamel to fight tooth decay.

Flossing

You also need to floss every evening, as this removes what a toothbrush alone cannot reach. You can use tape, string, or a pick, just as long as you’re cleaning up and down each side of every tooth, and dipping below the gum line to extract the trapped food particles. This helps not only fight bad breath and teeth stains, but can lower the risk of tooth decay and gum disease too. This isn’t just for adults either, as kids need to have their teeth cleaned with floss as soon as there are more than one tooth sitting side by side.

Improved Nutrition

What we eat and drink matters too! For example, foods high in sugar and starch leave behind particles trapped on or between the teeth. Bacteria can then break them down to increase the severity of plaque buildup, meaning weakened tooth enamel and inflamed gum tissues. Your smile is then more vulnerable to tooth decay and gum disease. The same goes for drinks high in sugar and acids, such as sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks. You should drink plenty of water, and eat fresh fruits and veggies, as well as options high in vitamin C and D.

Talk To Your Cleveland, TX Dentist About Caring for Your Smile

Good oral hygiene can help your smile avoid cavities and gum disease. For more information on keeping teeth and gums strong, then contact your Cleveland, TX, dentist, Dr. Uhrenholdt, by calling (281) 592-1234.