New Year! New smile?
If you are ready to improve, and even transform, your smile this year, our O’Fallon dentists are here to help you. We have put together this short overview of some simple things that you can do to re-prioritize your smile in 2020. Keep reading to learn more…
Upgrade your at-home oral hygiene routine
Now is the time to review your daily dental routine and make any helpful adjustments. Because plaque is continually building up on your smile, it is crucial that you stay on top of maintaining a clean smile. Here are some things you can do:
- Refresh your dental tools—the ADA’s general recommendation is that patients replace their toothbrushes every three to four months, and after recovering from an illness. If you’re using an electric toothbrush, you want to replace the brush head on this schedule.
- Make sure you’re using the right toothbrush—it is also important to choose a brush that is appropriate for your smile. Take a look at bristle stiffness/strength; using a firm-bristled brush may actually be too abrasive for your dental enamel and gum tissue. The head of the brush also needs to be small enough to reach your back molars.
- Implement some simple oral hygiene hacks—add some smile-boosting steps into your daily routine in order to minimize plaque build-up and keep your breath fresh. Get into the habit of rinsing your mouth with water or a mouth rinse after every meal and after snacking. Also, try keeping a water bottle handy morning and night; when you are able to stay hydrated, your body produces plenty of saliva to help your enamel re-mineralize.
This is also the perfect time to get your semi-annual cleanings and assessments on the books for 2020. Give our O’Fallon dentists a call, or use the Scheduling page on our site to get started!