3 Quick Tips to Improve Your Dental Routine
When it comes to dental health, most of us know that we are supposed to brush our teeth, floss, and visit Southwest Family Dentistry. Although this is common knowledge, many of us still could do more to improve our daily dental routine. Improving your daily dental routine is important because just changing a few small things daily can have a large impact on your oral and overall health. Listed below are three quick tips to improve your daily dental routine.
#1: Improve your Technique:
Brushing your teeth daily is important, however, if you are not brushing correctly you may still have problems with your oral health. Brushing correctly is the best way to maximize the benefits that are derived from daily teeth brushing.
The first step to brushing your teeth correctly is to make sure you are holding your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle. Many people hold their toothbrush parallel to their teeth when brushing, yet this may cause you to miss the spaces between your teeth and along the gum line. These are prime areas for bacteria growth and build up, so it is important that you reach them everytime you brush. By tilting your brush at a 45-degree angle, you increase the surface area your toothbrush covers and can reach these places. You also want to make sure that you are brushing your teeth for a full two minutes.
Another way you can improve your technique is by adding your tongue to your daily brushing routine. The tongue is a bacteria magnet, especially along the ridges of your taste buds. By adding your tongue to your daily brushing routine, you make sure bacteria cannot settle and cause bad breath or other oral problems.
#2: Improve your Products:
In addition to improving your technique, you also want to make sure that the products you use give you the desired results. Choosing the right toothbrush and toothpaste matter when it comes to maximizing the benefits of your dental routine.
When looking for a toothbrush, the best toothbrush is one that can fit easily into your mouth and has soft bristles. Some recommend a small headed brush to get into hard to reach places, while others recommend a brush that covers two teeth at a time. You may also consider an electric toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are especially helpful for anyone who has limited mobility in their hands. Also, some of them have timers which assure that you are brushing your teeth for the correct amount of time. This is especially useful if you do not usually brush your teeth for two minutes.
You’re also going to want to pay attention to the type of toothpaste you use. The key to this is understanding your oral needs and choosing a toothpaste that best meets these needs. The easiest way to do this is to talk to Dr. John Batlle for recommendations. However, there are a few tips you can follow on your own.
For starters, if you have sensitive teeth, you will want to avoid whitening toothpaste since the agents found in whitening toothpaste has been linked to irritations. A better alternative would be a toothpaste that uses baking soda, which is an ingredient that gently whitens teeth. A couple other tips are to avoid toothpaste with dyes and Saccharin. Dyes have no benefit to your teeth and Saccharin is an artificial sweetener that has been linked to allergies, headaches, skin irritation, and diarrhea.
#3: Improve your Habits:
Finally, you’re going to want to improve your dental habits. The key here is consistency. You need to make your dental routine part of your daily routine and schedule time for your teeth like you would schedule anything else in your day. In the morning and at night, you should leave five minutes devoted to your teeth. This will give you enough time to rinse with mouthwash, brush your teeth for two minutes, and floss. In addition, you need to make sure to visit Dr. John Batlle at least once every six months.
