Performing a consistent and effective oral hygiene routine is an essential first step in maintaining a healthy mouth. Brushing your teeth every morning and night, as well as remembering to floss at least once per day is an essential for removing bacterial deposits before they can promote gum disease and tooth decay.
It’s also very important to have a dentist administer a dental checkup twice each year. The outpatient appointment will clean and polish your teeth while also monitoring the overall health of your mouth.
When brushing your teeth you should focus on cleaning one tooth at a time, by working your soft-bristled toothbrush in small circles across the surfaces and contours of the tooth. Make sure your toothpaste has added fluoride to maintain strong teeth and prevent cavities.
If you are struggling to brush a specific area an interdental brush might be helpful. It is essentially a miniature toothbrush with an angled brush head to allow you to comfortably clean the hard reach contours of a tooth.
When flossing you need to make sure to clean the spaces between each of your teeth as well as along the gumline. If you have tightly spaced teeth or you are having trouble inserting the strand of floss around dental work, you might want to try using a floss threader.
If you live in the Manchester, Iowa, area and you have an oral health or hygiene concern, you should call 563-927-4746 to schedule a dental checkup with one of our talented dentists, Drs. Collier, Goettsch, Stecklein, and Oetken, at Dental Associates of Manchester.