20 Mar Building the Best Oral Care Routine
Taking care of your body means building healthy routines. Eating the right food, exercising, and taking care of your teeth are all part of living a healthy lifestyle. Building a new oral care routine might sound complicated, but this guide will walk you through the most important things you need to know to start new habits.
How to Build the Best Oral Care Routine for You
Every good oral care routine includes cleaning your teeth, your gums, your tongue, and the tissues around them. But the best oral care routines are the ones that you will actually do! For some people, starting slow and gradually building up to longer routines is a wonderful way to make a change.
Here’s an example of a healthy oral care routine you can use as a goal to work toward:
Brushing Your Teeth (3 min)
- Use a soft-bristled brush, either manual or electric
- Use a toothpaste that you like the taste of (so you actually use it)
- Brush in circular motions
- Brush two times in 24 hours
Flossing (5 min)
- Use long floss or a floss pick
- Choose a type of floss you are comfortable using
- Carefully clean in between each tooth
- Floss once every 24 hours
Rinsing Your Mouth (1 min)
- Using a flavor you like, follow the manufacturer’s instructions
- Rinse once every 24 hours
Brushing Your Tongue (1 min)
- Use your soft-bristled toothbrush or a tongue scraper
- Brush your tongue gently in circular motions
- Brush your tongue once every 24 hours
Visiting Your Dentist
- Dentist visits help detect problems, often before they can cause pain
- A thorough cleaning makes maintaining your oral care routine easier
- Visit at least twice per year
Better Oral Care = Better Health
Decaying, damaged, or missing teeth can cause all sorts of problems. Pain when chewing can often stop people from eating a healthy diet. Missing teeth might make people feel embarrassed or make them reluctant to smile. And sometimes infections can spread through your bloodstream from your mouth to the rest of your body.
By keeping your mouth clean, you can:
- Stop tooth and gum infections before they spread to the rest of your body
- Fight plaque to prevent cavities, gum disease and tooth loss
- Build your confidence in yourself by smiling more often
Daily Care Can Be Difficult When Depressed
When people are feeling depressed, their good dental care habits tend to slide. Good mental health is important for good oral health—it can be hard to brush your teeth if you cannot get out of bed, or if you are focusing all your energy elsewhere. Keeping small bottles of mouth rinse or disposable flossers next to your daily needs like water, medications or vitamins can help you fight tooth decay until you feel able to build your routine back up again.
Oral Health Specialists in Prescott, Arizona
At Hicks Dental Group, we want you to be healthy and happy, so you can show off your smile. That is why our team of highly trained dentists, hygienists, and support staff make visiting the dentist easy. During your next dental exam, we can give you tips on the best toothbrushes, toothpaste or mouth rinses to fit into your oral care routine. If you’re due for a visit, call us to schedule an appointment today.
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (4/19/23). Photo by Diana Polekhina on Unsplash.