Improve Your Dental Health With These Tips From Our O’Fallon Dentists
Do you want to boost your oral health, and take your at-home oral hygiene routine to the next level? If so, this article from our O’Fallon dentists is for you.
Check out the tips below to learn more about how you can protect your smile:
1. Don’t skip on flossing
So many dental patients don’t take the time to floss every single day—this is a big mistake! Flossing allows you to clear plaque away from those hard to reach spots in your smile.
2. Floss at the right time
To get the most out of your flossing routine, you should floss right before you brush your teeth at the end of the day. When you floss, you loosen and dislodge dental plaque and debris. By brushing directly after flossing, you ensure that you clear away these unwanted substances, rather than allowing them to re-adhere to your smile.
3. Rinse your mouth throughout the day
Help your smile stay strong by rinsing your mouth with water after you eat and drink during the day. This simple habit will freshen you breath, and minimize the amount of time that bacteria are allowed to sit on your dental enamel and gum tissue.
4. Avoid using harsh instruments on your smile
If you do get some food stuck between your teeth during the day, please avoid using metal or wooden toothpicks to dislodge it. These instruments can actually do more harm than good. They can cause microcracks in the dental enamel, and cut oral tissues—leaving oral tissues prone to infection. Rather than sharp tools, use gentle floss to loosen compacted food between teeth.
Our O’Fallon dentists are here to help dental patients make strong decisions for their respective smiles every single day. So schedule your consultation with our team to learn more about what you can do to boost your oral health.