If you have decided to focus on maintaining a healthy smile in 2020, congratulations! Here are some suggestions that will help you achieve that goal. By seeing your dentist regularly (at least twice a year) and practicing good oral hygiene habits at home, you will enjoy healthy teeth and gums.
Prioritizing Professional Dental Care
Patients should see their dentist for exams and cleanings at least twice a year. At these sessions, patients receive:
- Professional cleanings by hygienists, who are able to use specialized tools to remove tartar buildup and have better angles on certain areas of your smile than you do
- Inspection of your teeth and gums to identify signs of oral diseases in their earliest stages, when they can be treated conservatively
- Oral cancer screenings, which can be lifesaving if malignancies are identified before they spread to surrounding tissues
- An opportunity to ask any questions you may have about your oral health
These routine preventive care appointments should involve minimal, if any, discomfort for patients. If you have any concerns or anxiety about seeing your dentist, we strongly encourage you to discuss those with us so that we can address them and leave you with a positive experience.
If it’s been more than six months since your last checkup, call our office to schedule an appointment!
Taking Care Of Your Smile At Home
Professional care is only one part of the equation. You also need to take care of your teeth daily in the six months between your office visits. This involves, at a minimum, brushing twice each day for two minutes at a time and flossing daily.
Using proper techniques and tools is essential for an effective home oral hygiene practice. For example, you should be holding your brush at an angle along the gumline to disrupt plaque formation. You may also want to consider using an electric toothbrush with a built-in timer to get even more from brushing.
To develop a plan for maintaining your oral health in 2020, contact our team at Brend Dental to schedule a check-up or ask any questions you may have about your home oral hygiene practices.