While we all know that we need to include teeth cleaning as a part of our regular routine, how often should it be and what should it include? Today, our Delta dentists share some tips for proper oral hygiene and discuss how often you should be brushing and flossing your teeth.
In order to best protect your oral hygiene you need to be on top of routine at-home care and professional dental care. This can be done by following a rigorous brushing and flossing routine at home as well as at the dental office for professional cleanings.
While you are at your dentist for your routine cleaning and exam, they will offer tips and advice for your oral hygiene routine at home.
In this post, our Delta dentists share some ideal brushing techniques and talk about how often you should be brushing your teeth.
How often do you need to brush and floss your teeth?
Here our dentists offer some advice on what is recommended for at-home oral hygiene.
While you are brushing your teeth you should be sure to cover the surface of each tooth, including the chewing surface, the cheek side, and the tongue side. Teeth brushing should always be done in a sweep motion at a 45-degree angle. On upper teeth, use a downward sweeping motion. When you get to your lower teeth, use an upward sweeping motion. The only place that you should be using the back-and-forth motion is on the chewing surface of your teeth.
The ideal amount of time to spend in order to appropriately clear away plaque is 2 minutes. A little longer is fine but do not brush for longer than 4 minutes total. Wait at least 30 minutes after you eat to brush. At the very least, we recommend brushing twice per day and always before bedtime. You might want to try setting a timer to ensure your brushing routine is long enough.
Flossing is a step best done during your before-bed oral hygiene routine. When you floss, you'll dislodge buildup and debris from food between your teeth in places you are unable to reach with your toothbrush. Insert the string of floss between two teeth and run it up and down the side of each, pulling it into a "c" shape in both directions. Take your time while flossing and be sure to floss every crevice along your teeth.
How does routine oral hygiene help protect your health?
You should have a professional dental cleaning and exam performed by our dentists in Delta every 6 months to help protect your oral health.
During this dental visit, our dental team will examine your teeth for any new concerns and perform a dental cleaning to remove any plaque buildup that has occurred since your last visit. This is crucial to help prevent the buildup of cavity-causing bacteria.
Allowing your dentist the opportunity to note and address any issues early will be key to preventing more serious concerns.
Oral health problems such as cavities, gum disease, cysts, and even tumours are often not noticeable to the untrained eye (even a patient's own eye) in their early stages, so it's essential to have a dental professional assess your mouth regularly.