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2929 Barnet Hwy #2310,
Coquitlam BC, V3B 5R5
- (604) 554-0244
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Mon - Tue 9:00am - 6:00pm
Wed 9:00am - 7:00pm
Thu 9:00am - 8:00pm
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Fri 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sat 9:00am - 6:00pm
Sun 11:00am - 6:00pm
Oral Hygiene Routine
Dec 23th, 2024
Your oral hygiene is essential to protecting not just your smile but your overall health. Neglecting your oral hygiene can result in issues that can negatively affect your health. Fortunately, maintaining proper oral hygiene is not rocket science! Adopting a positive routine requires minimum daily effort and will protect your oral health for a long time. This article will be your guide to a healthy smile.
Why is Oral Hygiene Important?
Your mouth is a gateway to your body’s health, and taking care of it is essential to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Since the two are directly linked, neglecting your oral health can lead to further health issues, such as increasing the rate of cardiovascular problems like heart disease. Also, maintaining good oral hygiene can prevent dental complications like gum disease and tooth decay.
Oral Hygiene Tips
Good oral hygiene requires simple but consistent habits. These habits include brushing your teeth twice a day with a proper dentist-recommended toothpaste, and flossing daily to remove debris and plaque that collects between your teeth. There is a technique to flossing and brushing your teeth effectively, and both require patience and practice. Although there are more aspects to oral hygiene such as diet and daily habits, brushing and flossing consistently and correctly are the foundations of maintaining proper oral hygiene.
Good Habits for Teeth
Good oral hygiene habits are simple. The two main habits include brushing and flossing regularly, while long-term beneficial habits are related to your nutrition. Nutrition and oral health are directly linked, therefore, eating a well-balanced diet can be a key factor to maintaining healthy teeth and gums. Regular dental visits for professional dental cleaning, ideally twice a year, is also important.
Good Oral Hygiene Routine
A proper oral hygiene routine is not complicated but requires consistency. Brush your teeth first thing in the morning, and before you go to sleep. Brushing your teeth before your coffee is recommended, since coffee is an acidic drink, and brushing after consumption can weaken your tooth enamel. Throughout the day, after eating, rinse your mouth with water, this can help rinse away food particles that would otherwise stay in your mouth.
Flossing your teeth at least once a day is essential. Flossing your teeth before you brush is recommended but not necessary. When you floss your teeth first, you loosen the food particles that may be trapped between your teeth, and then, when you brush them, you will remove the debris that is on your teeth. A good oral hygiene routine starts with brushing and flossing, and rinsing your mouth after consuming certain foods and drinks.
Bad Habits for Teeth
Certain habits, such as smoking and consuming sugary and acidic foods, are often overlooked but have a significantly negative impact on your teeth and gums. Smoking will not only stain your teeth but will increase the risk of oral cancer and gum disease. Excessive amounts of acidic or sugary foods will wear down your enamel, leading to cavities or further dental issues. Breaking these habits may require lots of effort and persistence, but they are essential for preventing problems related to both your oral health and overall well-being.
Oral Hygiene and Overall Health
Research has shown a direct correlation between oral health and overall health. Taking care of your oral hygiene is not only about preventing cavities and dental complications; it’s about protecting and preventing your body from potential health risks that may arise as a result of poor dental hygiene.
What Can Poor Oral Hygiene Result In?
Neglecting your oral hygiene for long periods can result in cavities, potentially gum disease and even tooth loss. Neglecting your oral hygiene for long periods can also lead to further health complications such as diabetes, heart disease and even respiratory infections. Adopting a proper oral hygiene routine and staying consistent with it can prevent costly and painful issues that may uncover in the future.
Oral Hygiene Products
Investing in the right tools for your oral hygiene is often an overlooked but important factor. A good quality toothbrush is an essential tool that every person should invest in. Professionals recommend an electric toothbrush, since it provides a more consistent brush that wouldn’t be achieved with a manual toothbrush.
Replacing your toothbrush or head every 4 months or when the bristles become worn out is recommended. Additionally, buying the proper floss and toothpaste is important; we recommend any toothpaste that contains fluoride as this can strengthen the tooth enamel and help prevent cavities.
The Takeaway
Good oral hygiene is a lifelong commitment to not just your oral health but your overall health. A proper oral hygiene routine is simple: brush twice a day, floss once daily, visit your dentist twice a year, be mindful of your diet, and stay consistent with your daily oral hygiene routine. Consistency is key to maintaining proper oral health.
FAQ
Does flossing create gaps in teeth?
Flossing does not create gaps in teeth. Excessive force when flossing is not healthy, but in general, flossing can do you no harm.
How often should one floss?
Flossing once a day is ideal. This will help remove food particles and plaque from between your teeth, keeping your gums and teeth healthy.
Why do my teeth bleed when I floss?
If your gums bleed when you floss, this can be a sign of inflammation caused by plaque buildup or means you don’t floss enough. Flossing more often will strengthen your gums and prevent plaque buildup.
Should you floss first or brush?
Floss first; this will displace the debris and food particles that are trapped between your gums. Then when you brush after the floss, it will remove the food particles entirely.
How to floss with braces
Using a floss threader is a cheap and easy way to floss with braces, this will easily allow you to thread the floss through the braces brackets. Water flossers are also a good option for flossing with braces.
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Dental Office Located at Coquitlam Centre
Please fill out the form below or call us at (604) 554-0244 to schedule a new appointment.
