Keeping your teeth healthy doesn’t need to be hard, but yet thousands upon thousands of people all over the UK are still struggling with the damaging results of decay and gum disease. With this in mind, we’re going to get much better acquainted with exactly what it is we all need to be doing in order to keep our mouths in tip top condition and the hygienist Richmond at bay.
What Is Oral Hygiene?
When we talk about oral hygiene, we’re talking about all of the processes taken to keep our gums, teeth, tongue, and lips healthy. This includes cleaning, maintenance, and dental checkups. There are best practices that everyone should take in order to keep on top of their oral hygiene.
How To Clean Teeth Well
It’s an easy cycle to slip into; quick brush, quick rinse, out the door, quick brush, quick rinse, out the door. But not paying attention when we’re brushing could be causing a lot more trouble than you think. When we brush our teeth, we need to make sure we’re paying attention to all the sections equally and actually cleaning the build up, not just brushing the surface of our teeth.
You should be brushing for AT LEAST two minutes per time, and spending an equal amount of time on each quarter of the mouth. A good way to check this is to have a timer in front of you when you’re brushing. You won’t need to do this forever, but it’s an easy, effective way to build in muscle memory and an internal timer.
Don’t just brush back and forth and zone out. When we brush we should be using circular motions that travel across the whole surface area of the teeth, while paying close attention to the gum line as this is where lots of bacteria builds up and turns into plaque and tartar.
Flossing Isn’t Optional
So many people still don’t floss, and this is such a mistake. Flossing is the only way you’re going to get deep between the teeth, down into the gum line, and remove any build up there. To begin with, it can feel like a right faff but, just like everything else we do such as emptying the dishwasher or rinsing the shower, it becomes a habit and before long you’re doing it without thinking! And, saving the health of your teeth in the process.
Check Ups From The Neck Up
Some people think that you shouldn’t go to the dentist until you see a problem, just as you would with the doctor, but this is a BIG MISTAKE. Often, if you’re experiencing symptoms, specifically pain in the teeth, it’s too late to fix the problem without intervention and you’ll be paying for a filling or crown or even removal. Dentists are trained to spot problems before they’re problems and this way they can get your teeth back to full health through the assistance of the hygienist Richmond.
