Having good brushing habits can benefit you in a lot of ways. You will be able to prevent some very unpleasant oral health issues when you keep up with your oral hygiene. Our Amherst dentist has provided the following brushing tips to help you improve your dental care routine and ensure you have a healthy smile. Please keep reading to learn more, and then give us a call to set up your free initial consultation.
Brushing Tips from Our Amherst Dentist
There are several things that you can do to improve your oral health with how you brush your teeth. The following brushing tips were put together by our Amherst dentist and aim to help you keep the best brushing habits possible.
Type of Toothbrush
The type of toothbrush you have matters. You might think you can just grab one from the grocery store at random. This is not the case. You want to have a soft-bristled toothbrush. The soft bristles do not scratch up your enamel.
If you are willing to invest more money into brushing your teeth, getting an electric toothbrush is a great option for many reasons. You do get a better clean. They often have a timer for how long you should be brushing your teeth.
One of the brushing tips that we emphasize to patients with gingivitis or cavities is getting all parts of the mouth clean. The timed toothbrushes buzz every 30 seconds to indicate switching quadrants of your mouth. You want to brush each tooth from all possible angles. Brushing up to the gum line ensures food does not get left behind to form plaque or tartar.
Changing your toothbrush regularly is important. You should be changing your toothbrush or toothbrush head (if you use an electric toothbrush) roughly every three months. If your bristles are starting to fray, change them earlier than three months. You should also switch them out if you used them while you were sick.
Toothpaste, Mouthwash, and Flossing
Some additional brushing tips have less to do with the actual motion of brushing, and more to do with adding on things to your dental care routine to help your oral health.
Having a fluoride toothpaste and mouth wash can reduce your chance of cavities and gum disease. We provide fluoride treatments in our office that can also help protect your enamel.
Regularly flossing after you brush your teeth will ensure that any remaining food particles or plaque is removed from the tooth, preventing it from hardening and turning into tartar which can irritate the gums and lead to gum disease.
These brushing tips are great when you follow them, however, you should still come in to see a dentist regularly to get cleanings and checkups.
Call Us for a Free Consultation
If you want more information like these brushing tips to improve your oral health, we would be glad to help. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with our Amherst dentist to set up a free consultation. We have been serving the community of Williamsville and Amherst for many years to get the best possible oral health and we want to help you too.
