Maintaining a good oral hygiene routine will benefit more than just your teeth! If your mouth is healthy, then your body will usually follow suit. In addition giving you a clean, fresh smile, it can work towards preventing tooth decay, bad breath and other associated oral conditions.
What should I do on a daily basis?
It is important to brush twice a day and floss every night. The reason flossing is best done in the evening is to ensure that all the days food debris is removed before you go to sleep. If this is left, it can begin to rot and cause decay in between the teeth. You must also remember to clean your tongue on a daily basis, usually in the morning. A little known fact is that around 90% of the mouth’s bad bacteria can be found at the back of the tongue. This is where the root cause of most cases of bad breath comes from.
What about the gums?
Whilst brushing you should take a little time to gently massage your gums with the tooth brush. This will increase the blood flow to the gums and help keep them healthy and ward off gum disease. Healthy gums keep the plaque and bacteria on the surface where it can be easily cleaned away, but unhealthy gums allow the bacteria and food debris to get inside and this can lead to decay, gum disease and tooth loss.
Professional cleaning
Regardless of how good your oral hygiene may be, it is recommended that your teeth are professionally cleaned at least once a year. During this cleaning, the surfaces will be properly cleaned and polished and a high pressured jet of water will be used to clean below the gum line. This action helps to clear out plaque and bacteria that have sunk below the gum line and helps prevent gum disease and tooth decay.
