We are told at an early age that twice-daily teeth brushing is important to our dental health.
How important is it?
There are times when we're tired, rushed, or too lazy to brush our teeth. This most often occurs at night before going to bed. We figure we're sleeping. We're not eating anything and we're not talking to anyone so we can have bad breath.
Brushing your teeth may seem like an inconvenience at times, but it is a small price to pay for potentially losing teeth and getting gum disease.
What Is Proper Dental Hygiene?
There are three major parts of proper, at-home dental care: flossing, brushing and regular professional cleanings and check-ups.
Flossing
Flossing is necessary for removing the food particles from between your teeth. If this debris isn't removed, it will decay and rot, cause plaque to accumulate. This plaque can breakdown tissue in your tooth enamel as well as the soft tissue of the surrounding gums.
Flossing reaches the tight, hard-to-reach places that a toothbrush can't get to.
It is recommended that you floss at least once a day, preferably multiple times a day after eating.
Brushing
Daily teeth brushing is important in removing food and drink particles that off the surface of your teeth. The surface of your teeth is where the majority of debris will accumulate.
If your teeth are not brushed regularly, plaque and tartar can build up on your teeth cause erosion of your tooth enamel. Your tooth enamel is the outer protective layer of your tooth. If your enamel is destroyed, the vulnerable, inner portion of your tooth is exposed to bacteria that can lead to permanent staining and possible infection and decay.
Besides scrubbing off bacteria from the surface of your teeth, brushing has other dental benefits.
Toothpaste contains ingredients that help repair tooth decay, makes teeth more resistant to decay and it polishes and removes stains from teeth.
Toothpaste also gives you a feel-good, clean feeling in your mouth, and the ever-important fresh breath.
There are also toothpaste alternatives available that provide the same protection against plaque and disease.
Having the proper toothbrush also important.
It is recommended that you get a soft-bristled brush and change out your toothbrush every three months.
A toothbrush that is too hard can irritate and damage your gums. A toothbrush that isn't discarded after three months will accumulate germs that can be left of teeth and gums.
Regular Professional Dental Cleanings and Examinations
Proper flossing and brushing at home play an important part in maintaining good oral health.
Regular, six-month check-ups are also important.
These professional teeth cleanings are more thorough than those you do every day. They also are accompanied by an examination by a professional who can see dental issues that you're unaware of. Preventative measures are just as important as keeping your teeth clean.
Brushing and flossing your teeth every day may seem like an inconvenience, but they are important in maintaining the proper functioning and looks of your teeth and gums.
When these at-home dental hygiene measures are combined with regular cleanings and examinations by a dental professional, you will give your teeth and gums the best chance to resist getting infected and decayed.