Daily Oral Hygiene

Easy Habits For Maintaining Oral Health

A beautiful smile is sought after and celebrated in our culture — it’s one of the first things people notice about us. Luckily, a gorgeous smile, pearly white teeth and fresh breath are easily achieved with good daily dental hygiene habits. And since oral health and general health are so intimately related, good dental hygiene will help safeguard both throughout life.

By taking just a few minutes each day to brush and floss the right way, you can help avoid the discomfort and expense of dental treatment down the road. We will share some simple secrets about how easy it is to maintain good dental hygiene, and keep that smile radiant.

Dental Disease Is Not Inevitable

Gum disease and tooth decay are among the most common diseases known to man. Studies dating back to the 1950’s have revealed the connection between them and dental bacterial plaque.

Over 90% of dental disease is caused by dental plaque accumulation alone, even when we consider other factors like diet and malocclusion (bad bite). Dental plaque is a biofilm — a slimy layer of bacteria that forms on the surfaces of your teeth. Unchecked at the gum line it can interact with the body’s immune (defense) system resulting in periodontal (gum) disease. In the nooks and crannies of the biting surfaces, or the protected surfaces between teeth, plaque bacteria feed on dietary sugars which results in acid production that causes dental caries — tooth decay.

Dental plaque forms on the teeth when we don’t practice effective oral hygiene. So maintaining healthy teeth and gums is literally in your hands. Effective oral hygiene is essential to keeping your teeth for a lifetime.

The good news is that practicing good effective oral hygiene is simpler and easier than you think.

Almost — Instant Gratification

Changing some health habits can be challenging as you may know if you’ve ever tried to go on a diet, stop smoking, or drinking alcohol, but changing oral health habits is relatively easy. Daily tooth-brushing and flossing routines can be made simpler and more effective by not much more than just a slight alteration in your technique. And the changes you’ll notice are almost instant.

Not only is changing oral health behavior easier, but so is maintaining the changes — making them healthier long lasting habits. “Start the way you mean to carry on,” is especially important for children. As adults, changing bad dental hygiene habits into good ones is more challenging, but you can get that “just had my teeth cleaned at the dentist’s feeling,” every day with a little time and practice.

Not convinced? Try the following simple steps!