Although the news is nothing new, one of the most common recommendations or pieces of advice when it comes to keeping on top of your oral health is to brush and floss your teeth regularly. Not only does this help with alleviating bad breath and keeping cavities at bay, but this can also help save you or your family hundreds—if not thousands—of dollars at the dentist office.
Great Hill Dental in Chelmsford wants to remind you that oral health plays an important role—not only in your smile but also in your overall health!
To help you stay on top of your dental health in between dentist visits, we’re going to talk about how to brush and floss your teeth in this article, giving you the best, safest, quickest, and most effective tips and tricks to help keep your teeth clean.
Brushing Your Teeth
To help you best take care of your oral health, you need to address not only your teeth but also your gums. Brushing your teeth, multiple times per day on a regular basis can help keep your teeth and gums in adequate condition.
This regular oral care can also help reduce the risk of the development of tooth decay or gum disease—which can lead to tooth loss.
The first steps of brushing your teeth:
- If you’re already in touch with your dentist, speak with them about which toothbrush they would recommend to help you best care for your teeth.
- You should also ask them about a particular fluoride toothpaste and which is best for you and your oral care. (Mouthwash also helps rid your mouth of germs and harmful bacteria.)
- You’ll also want to ask about how often you need to replace your toothbrush—which is generally going to be around every 2-3 months.
Getting To It:
If you’re looking for a minimum number of times that you should be brushing your teeth, the recommended number you need to remember is TWO.
Two times a day for two minutes.
To help break down the brushing process, dentists suggest that you should spend at least 30 seconds brushing each section of your mouth—from your upper right teeth to your upper left, then your lower right to your lower left.
The Details:
The way you actually hold your toothbrush can also play a pretty big role in if you’re brushing your teeth properly.
Make sure you’re gently brushing—if you do so aggressively, this can lead to damage over time.
You’ll also want to be sure to brush gently along the gum line as well as your tongue, which can help remove bad-breath-causing bacteria.
If you prefer, you can also brush your teeth after every meal, which is what is generally recommended if you are wearing braces or other oral apparatuses.
Flossing Your Teeth
Another good oral health practice is to floss daily.
To help you get to the areas that brushing simply doesn’t reach, floss can be maneuvered in and out of the crevices between your teeth. This can help remove any of the plaque or bacteria that has been gathered there.
Some tips to help you benefit from the process would be to:
1.) Use a long enough piece of floss (usually around a foot and a half) to have a clean piece of floss for every section.
2.) Spend the same amount of time on each section of your mouth—the back sides of the back teeth and in between each tooth.
Daily Habits Create A Healthy Lifestyle
Although spending five-ten minutes per day taking care of your teeth—flossing AND brushing—may seem like a burden at the time, if you commit to these healthy habits, they can go a long way when it comes to your mental and physical health, as well.
We hope that this article has helped give you a guide to help you brush and floss your teeth in the most efficient way!
And of course, we would recommend contacting your local dentist office and speaking to a healthcare professional about any personal or special symptoms or issues you may be having with your oral health.