For many of us, dental hygiene practices are an ingrained part of our daily routines. We learned them in early childhood and, for the most part, have stuck to them for most of our lives. However, that doesn’t automatically make us less likely to develop a dental issue, or eliminate the need to visit the dentist regularly for preventive checkup appointments. That’s because truly good hygiene is a consistent practice, and that consistency is key to avoiding any issues that your dentist might detect during your next checkup.
Hygiene’s role in your checkup and cleaning
The point of your checkup and cleaning appointment is to check up on the state of your oral health and professionally clean away any traces of plaque and tartar (calcified plaque) that are lingering on your teeth and gums. This plaque development is the key target of your daily hygiene routine; it’s formed by hundreds of different kinds of oral bacteria, and the harmful ones can do more harm when they accumulate so much. If you successfully prevent this buildup, your cleaning will be minimal, and so will the chances that your dentist spots a problem a during your examination.
Tips to get better at daily hygiene
The good news is that improving your hygiene routine isn’t necessarily complicated. You may already know the basics, such as brushing your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once. Yet, did you know that brushing only once or not at all for just one day can be enough for oral bacteria to start causing problems? Knowing where your hygiene needs improvement will help you get better at it, and some of the most common tips include:
Ask your dentist about products – Your dentist knows your teeth better than anyone, and can recommend the most beneficial hygiene products for your oral health needs.
Drink a lot more water – The sugars and acids found in popular sodas and soft drinks can feed oral bacteria and directly harm your tooth enamel.
Put hygiene right before a favorite activity – Brush and floss before reading or watching TV, or something else you always look forward to. With enough repetition, it will become second-nature.
Take your dentist’s recommendations seriously – Don’t feel bad if you don’t get a clean bill of health at your checkup. Your dentist can recommend ways to improve it before your next visit!
Learn to improve your hygiene routine
Make your checkup appointments faster and improve your chances of avoiding further treatment by improving your daily dental hygiene routine. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Creekside Family Dental Care in Columbia, TN, today at (931) 388–3384.