Daily dental hygiene and home care can make a huge difference in your oral health. Our dental patients in Torrance often see dramatic improvements in their teeth and gums just by making a few small adjustments with their daily dental routine. At Dentist of Torrance, we enjoy educating our patients, especially the little ones, on proper home dental care because it makes such a huge difference in people’s lives. To learn more about daily dental hygiene, read on.
When we work with you as your South Bay dentist, we are really working in partnership with you to obtain healthy teeth and gums. Our job is to help guide you and take care of the “big stuff” related to oral health. Your job is to take care of the day-to-day aspects of dental hygiene, which can make a huge difference in the long-term health of your teeth and gums. Without good daily dental care, you will be much more at risk for problems ranging from cavities to serious gum disease.
Brushing your teeth the right way can make a huge difference in your oral health. Also, it can be just as damaging to overbrush – brushing too hard – than it can be to underbrush. This is why you want to use a toothbrush with soft bristles, which cleans very well without hurting teeth and gums.
Tilt the brush head at a 45-degree angle and use a small circular motion to move the brush along the teeth. Part of the toothbrush should also gently massage the gums next to the teeth.
Take at least 30 seconds to brush each section of the teeth. After you are done, you can brush the top of the tongue to scrape away food particles or use a tongue scraper. Make sure you don’t forget to floss!
If you are currently undergoing orthodontic treatment with metal or ceramic braces, you will need to be especially careful with dental hygiene as food particles can be easily stuck in braces. Follow the directions for general brushing but just be careful not to press too hard against brackets and wires.
Flossing can be tricky with braces. We recommend using wax-covered dental floss as waxed floss is a lot less likely to get stuck in braces. Some people like to use special floss holders to help with flossing or a floss threader. A water flosser (also known as a water pick) can be extremely helpful if you have braces and can be used instead of threaded floss.
Teeth should be thoroughly brushed at least twice a day and after meals is ideal too. Floss at least once per day, either in the morning or evening – or any time that you can keep consistent.
Mouthwash should not be used as a replacement for your twice per day brushing routine, but it can be used to freshen breath between brushing. It’s also great to use after brushing because it kills bacteria in the mouth. You’ll want antiseptic mouthwash for this purpose. It can be alcohol-free if you prefer.
Improve Your Dental Health Today!
Want to learn more about proper oral health care? Our skilled dental hygienist can teach you and your children how to optimally brush and floss. To schedule your dental visit at Dentist of Torrance, contact us today by calling 310-651-7660.
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