Oral Hygiene
Have You Been Flossing?
If you’ve ever been to the dentist (we hope you have) you’ve heard it time and time again. While it may seem like we’re beating a dead horse, we only stress flossing so much because it really is that important. While whether or not you answer truthfully is up to you, skimping on your oral homecare routine is only going to cause you problems down the road.
Your Job
As your oral healthcare advisors, we believe in not only providing quality services for our patients but providing them with the knowledge and education to empower them to keep their mouths clean and healthy at home. Here are some tips from the professionals at Neighborhood Smiles:
- Nutrition – Your diet plays a critical role in your oral and overall health. Acidic foods and beverages are the most harmful for teeth. Diets rich in sugar, dairy, animal fats, and carbohydrates are at the highest risk for disease and decay.
- Brush – It’s not just about brushing, it’s about when and how you brush. We recommend an electric toothbrush (Sonicare™ is our favorite), and brushing at least twice a day for two minutes, and preferably after eating or drinking. Don’t forget to brush the tongue!
- Floss – If you’ve ever been to the dentist, you know how important flossing is. You should floss every day to remove particles between teeth that brushing alone cannot reach. Floss first, then brush to remove anything left behind.
- Rinse – While rinsing with mouthwash is not on our list of “essential” oral hygiene tips, it can take your checkup from an A to an A+. Mouthwash kills 99% of the germs lurking in your mouth that brushing and flossing alone will not, and ensure your mouth stays healthy and breath stays fresh.
- Water – Staying hydrated should be a given when it comes to any aspect of your health. But water can also be a useful tool when brushing and flossing is not an option. Just swish with water after eating or drinking to minimize acidity, bad breath, and decay.
Our Job
We hope you’ve taken our advice and made some positive changes in your oral homecare routine. Now it’s time to put your skills to the test at your regular cleaning and exam appointment. We have one of the best hygiene teams in Belleville that will give you an incredibly gentle yet impressively thorough cleaning that will have you leaving with that “fresh from the dentist” clean feel. Your hygienist and Dr. Yakowicz will perform a comprehensive oral exam to make sure everything looks good, checking for things like signs of decay, gum disease, and oral cancer.
Take control of your oral health and hygiene today! If you have any questions or would like to schedule a cleaning with your Belleville dentist, Dr. Yakowicz at Neighborhood Smiles, give us a call today at (608) 424-3222
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