Taking care of your oral hygiene daily is key to maintaining a beautiful, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime! Combining your daily efforts with regular visits to your dentist best helps you prevent the accumulation of plaque that leads to problems with tooth decay and gum disease. When you understand the proper approach to brushing and flossing, you can reduce oral health problems that can happen at any age!
At your Prairie Village, KS dental practice, we discuss brushing and flossing techniques with all of our patients. By taking the time to fully remove the sticky film that can gather on the surface of your teeth, you provide the first line of defense against cavities and infected gums.
When Plaque Builds On Top Of Your Enamel
By cleaning your teeth each day, you help remove the combination of bacteria and food debris that form a sticky film on their surface. When your habits are not up to par, you allow this film to continually feed your bacteria and turn into plaque and tartar deposits. These formations give off an acidic waste product that weakens your teeth’s enamel and eventually causes it to erode. Left untreated, you can develop problems with discoloration, cavities, tooth infections, and bad breath. Attending semiannual checkups will help remove these buildups, but remember that daily removal is key to maintaining healthy smiles!
Brushing Your Teeth
Selecting a toothbrush with soft bristles can help you remove sticky plaque without harming your teeth or gums. Both children and adults can benefit from a soft brush to encourage daily brushing without causing discomfort. When choosing your toothpaste, selecting one with fluoride will provide added protection by helping remineralize your enamel. This can reverse the weakening of enamel from acidic decay to make your teeth resilient and maintain their white appearance.
When brushing, use a circular, gentle motion to clean your teeth on their tops and side all the way to the line of your gums. Make sure to take a full two minutes to brush and ensure that each tooth is properly cleaned during the process.
Flossing Everyday
Flossing is so important because it reaches areas of your mouth that your brush simply cannot touch. Pull your string or dental pick against the side of your tooth as you go all the way down to your gum. This will prevent bacterial pockets from collecting and risking infection of your gums.
Attend A Dental Checkup With Your Prairie Village, KS Dentist Soon!
When you combine your daily brushing and flossing habits with regular trips to the dentist, you can maintain a winning smile for an entire lifetime! For more information or to schedule a visit, please contact your Prairie Village, KS dentist’s office at 913-901-8585.
