Important Notes About Better Dental Hygiene

Good dental hygiene seems like common sense in many ways. Even people who aren’t particularly careful with keeping their smiles healthy agree that it’s important to brush and floss their teeth at least twice a day. However, there’s more to keeping your smile healthy than just spending a few minutes at the bathroom sink every day. Today, we examine a few important notes about better dental hygiene, and how it affects more of your daily routine than you might expect at first.

Cleaning your teeth takes effort

The most important thing to note about good dental hygiene is that cleaning your teeth properly means paying attention when you brush and floss them. It can be easy to get so used to the routine that you start going through the motions each day without giving them much thought. However, that inattentiveness can make it more likely that you’ll miss a spot of plaque, which can quickly calcify into tartar and remain there until your next dental cleaning. Be sure to brush and floss your teeth in front of well-lit mirror and be sure to carefully clean every surface of them.

What you eat affects them, too

Another important note about your dental hygiene is that brushing and flossing your teeth aren’t the only part of it. It can also be easy to believe that once you’ve cleaned your teeth and walked away from the sink, they should be fine until the next time you have to brush them. However, the things you expose your teeth to throughout the day play just as big a role in your dental hygiene and oral health. On one hand, eating too much sugar and other unhealthy foods can hasten the erosion of your enamel or the accumulation of bacteria on your gum line. On the other, eating plenty of healthy, well-balanced and nutrient-rich foods can help ensure that your teeth remain strong, healthy, and well-nourished.

Don’t forget to protect your teeth

In addition to certain foods and beverages, you’ll likely expose your teeth to more throughout the day, such as chewing on ice or biting on a string when you can’t find scissors. Little things that seem insignificant can have a cumulative impact on the health and integrity of your teeth, so it’s important to be aware and protect your teeth from potential harm throughout the day. That’s especially true if you notice that you have a habit of grinding your teeth often, which might indicate a more serious concern known as bruxism.

Learn how to keep up with better hygiene

Good dental hygiene is about more than you may realize, but it’s worth sticking to consistently to protect your smile and oral health. To learn more, call our Cleveland Family Dentistry office in Cleveland, TX, today at (281) 592-1234. We also serve the residents of Kingwood, Conroe, Livingston, and all surrounding communities.