How Dental Care Can Affect Your Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is just one of several aspects of dental care. Other aspects of dental care are healthy habits and protective measures that prevent injury or infection. Caring for your teeth also involves scheduling dentist’s visits promptly. The different facets of dental care come together and make it easier to maintain excellent oral hygiene. Here is how.

Unpacking dental care

Taking care of teeth involves activities that happen with varying levels of frequency. What does this mean?

• Brushing is a daily activity that needs to happen twice a day or after every meal
• Flossing should occur once a day to remove plaque buildup and debris from between the teeth
• Adopting a healthy lifestyle is a daily decision
• Cleaning teeth with bicarbonate of soda can occur once a week or once a month. This activity scrubs the teeth and removes slight stains
• Scheduling a routine dental checkup once every six months
• Receiving dentist advice to set up a dental appointment the moment they develop an oral health issue

The list above may seem long, but it is easy to see through. Each of the items on the list only takes a small amount of time in the grand scheme of things. In contrast, the benefits of these small measures last a lifetime. Here is how they affect oral hygiene.

1. Taking time to clean every tooth surface pays off

Take two minutes to brush your teeth. Use a toothbrush with flexible bristles to reach and scrub every surface of every tooth. Doing this twice a day controls harmful bacteria and bad breath. It also prevents the accumulation of plaque and tartar. Flossing finishes the job by reaching areas that a toothbrush cannot.

2. Lifestyle changes improve oral hygiene

It may not seem like it, but a healthy diet makes the teeth easier to clean. “How is that?” some may ask. Foods that are choc-full of sugar and carbohydrates tend to be sticky. They are the perfect building material for plaque. These foods also feed the harmful mouth bacteria that launch continuous attacks on the teeth.

In contrast, crunchy foods and vegetables scrub plaque off the teeth. Foods like apples, lettuce, and celery also hydrate the mouth as they clean it. This means that a salad or crunchy fruit at lunch is a clever way to clean the mouth during the workday.

3. Feedback from a dentist can improve the patient’s oral hygiene

Routine dental checks allow a dentist to evaluate their patient’s oral hygiene. Dentists can offer feedback that touches on how well (or poorly) their patient cleans their mouth. When necessary, a dentist will point out areas that need improvement on the patient’s part. Dentists that offer first-line dental care are always keen to advise their patients on their oral habits.

4. Regular teeth cleaning eliminates plaque and tartar

A dentist can see every corner of their patient’s mouth, thanks to lights, mirrors, and training. They can spot plaque and tartar in a way their patient cannot. This ability allows them to clean their patient’s teeth above and below the gumline. A dentist also takes care to reach in between the teeth. 

Professional teeth cleaning also removes surface stains. Last but not least, dentists conclude teeth cleaning by using fluoride treatment and sealant to protect the teeth.

5. Treating dental problems makes the teeth easier to clean

A tooth fracture, crowding or an impacted wisdom tooth creates hiding places for harmful bacteria and food debris. These "hiding places" are hard to reach with a toothbrush. Treating these kinds of dental problems makes it easier for the patient to clean their mouth.

Taking care of your oral health pays off in a big way

The smallest decisions add up to make a huge difference as the years go by. Invest in your oral health by doing small things like brushing and flossing twice a day. Take it a step further and call our practice if you have a dental problem that needs solving.

Also, make it a habit to schedule routine checkups and take full advantage of our dentist’s knowledge. They will use their experience to provide preventative dental care that will preserve your teeth for a lifetime.

Request an appointment here: https://www.simplysmilesdentist.com or call Simply Smiles Dentistry at (520) 368-3351 for an appointment in our Tucson office.

Check out what others are saying about our dental services on Yelp: Routine Dental Care in Tucson, AZ.