Good oral hygiene is important for maintaining your overall health. If you believe this and you should, then there are 4 essential guidelines of preventative care to maintaining good oral health[1]:
- Floss regula
rly and floss first- Individuals should floss on a regular basis after meals and before brushing their teeth. The reason you floss first is to dislodge any food particles trapped between your teeth, which are disposed of while brushing.
- Brushing your teeth- If you don’t have an electric toothbrush, good brushing by hand should take a minimum of 2 minutes and should involve brushing in a circular motion.[2] We recommend using soft bristle brushes and toothpaste with fluoride. The fluoride is important, because the rise in bottled water consumption has led to the decline in fluoride intake.
- Mouthwash- We am not sure how effective this is, but if you’re not going to brush twice a day, using a mouthwash that contains fluoride at least twice a day is a good preventative measure that kills the bacteria responsible for cavities and gum disease. Given recent research, we recommend a non-alcohol based rinse.
- Your Dental visits- Maintaining your oral health requires regular dental visits at least every six months. You need to do this for early detection of potential global health problems that could develop into more serious issues and the hygienist can clean areas you might have been missed or areas resistant to the 3 steps above.
Finally,Finding a Dentist that is Right for You
Research shows that your dental care is an important aspect of your overall general health care.[3] So you need to make sure you find a dentist that is right for you. This can be a difficult process. Look for someone who’s competent and you feel comfortable with, one you can have a collaborative relationship with. This is important because there are conditions and problems that were not discussed in this article that the dentist will need to pay attention to during your regular checkups. Hopefully after reading this article, you will have a better understanding of the basics for good oral health. I you have questions or concerns feel free to contact or call.
Novy Scheinfeld, DDS, PC
290 Carpenter Drive, 200A
Atlanta, GA 30328
404-256-3620
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[1] All of which are endorsed by the American Dental Association
[2] The electric toothbrush does this for you.
[3] http://therightsmilecenter.blogspot.com/2014/04/global-health-windows-seen-through.html
