Can you believe it’s almost 2022? Most of us are ready for the new adventures and potential that comes with a brand new year. In the spirit of out with the old and in with the new, now may be a great time to leave some of those bad oral hygiene habits behind. Ring in the New Year with a reaffirmed commitment to healthy teeth and gums with these tips:
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- Toss your old toothbrush. You should throw out your toothbrush and replace it with a new one every 3-4 months. The brush doesn’t work effectively once the bristles become worn and frayed.
- Store your toothbrush out in the open. Putting your toothbrush away in a drawer, medicine cabinet, or with the bristles shoved at the bottom of a glass doesn’t allow the brush to dry properly and may encourage bacterial growth. Let the brush dry out in the open air.
- Select soft bristles. You’ve probably noticed that toothbrushes are rated as soft, medium, and hard. Choose a soft-bristled brush because they are the gentlest on the tooth enamel and gum tissue, but still remove food debris effectively.
- Brush with gentle pressure. It doesn’t take very much force to brush away food debris and plaque. Some people fall into the trap of thinking that it’s necessary to really scrub the teeth hard to clean them, but this is not so. In fact, brushing too hard can damage your gums and teeth enamel, so remember to use only light pressure.
- Brush your teeth for the full 2 minutes. Two minutes is the accepted standard for how long to brush. It may help to set a timer to make sure you meet the time required for healthy teeth.
- Don’t skip dental appointments. Especially with the pandemic shutdowns of 2020 and 2021, getting off course with dental appointments has been a fairly common occurrence across the U.S. lately. But these dental checkups and cleanings are an essential part of preventing cavities, gum disease, and other dental problems. These appointments may help you avoid the need for more invasive dental work, which can save you time, money, and hassle in the long run.
Do you have questions about dental symptoms you are experiencing? Is it time to schedule your next dental cleaning? If so, we hope you will call the experienced Greenville dental team at Flatrock Family Dentistry. You can reach our office at (864) 756-5576.