You can count on your Seattle, WA dentist’s office for great smile care, but you certainly should not count on them for all of your smile care needs – you also need to maintain good habits at home. By taking the time to properly brush and floss, you keep your teeth clear of harmful bacteria, and the food debris those bacteria consume. You should also pay attention to the way your diet potentially affects your cavity risk. Smart habits between routine dental checkups is important. If you do an effective job of defending your teeth and gums from trouble, you are less likely to need restorative dental work in the future.
1. Make Sure You Take Time To Be Thorough When You Brush And Floss
While people are typically clear on why they need to do a good job brushing and flossing, they can be less clear on what a “good job” really looks like. How much time do you spend when you brush and floss? Are you taking enough time to fully remove oral bacteria from your enamel? You should spend at least two minutes brushing your teeth each time you clean them. When you floss, make sure you move the string vertically in order to fully address any accumulated oral bacteria between your teeth. Your cleaning sessions should target your gum line, too, in order to avoid problems with gum disease.
2. Drink More Water Throughout The Day, And Limit Your Soft Drink Intake
How much water do you drink on an average day? Drinking more water, and drinking water more often during the day, can have a positive effect on your oral health. By replacing soft drinks with water at meals, you take a significant amount of sugar out of your normal diet. Water is also important because it can rinse away debris that sit on the surface of teeth, which helps you remove harmful agents that might be gathering between your brushing and flossing sessions. Drinking water instead of dark and color-rich beverages has an added bonus for your smile – you can avoid a buildup of teeth stains, which can dull the whiteness of your smile.
3. Keep Up With Regular Dental Exams
How can you be sure that your daily routine is as effective as you believe it should be? Make sure you keep up with regular dental appointments. These visits offer important feedback concerning your oral health, and provide you with a professional cleaning that can help you avoid future cavities and periodontal infections.
Hygge Laser Dentistry Can Help You Maintain Good Oral Health
Hygge Laser Dentistry is proud to help people in and around Seattle, WA maintain healthy smiles! If you want to make sure your teeth are in great shape, or if you want to address a possible problem, you can reach our practice by calling 206-789-2555.
