Are You Making Time for Your Smile? Simple Dental Care That Can Make a Huge Difference
How much time do you spend on your teeth each day? Do you brush every day? Do you floss every day? According to the American Dental Association, most people do brush on a daily basis but only four out of ten Americans floss daily. As many as one in five never floss at all. Many of those people simply don’t see how taking the time to floss every day can matter. At California Dental Group, we’re here to show you that flossing can make all the difference in your chances of getting periodontal disease, otherwise known as gum disease.
Do you have five minutes a day to protect your gums?
As with most diseases, the best way to fight gum disease is to prevent it. The easiest way to do that is to get rid of the bacteria that cause it. They live in your mouth and they should be removed on a daily basis by following best practices for at home oral care. The good news is that following these recommendations just takes five minutes daily and it could save you time, money, and pain down the line.
First, brush your teeth. You should be using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a toothpaste with fluoride in it. All you need is toothpaste the size of a pea to clean your whole mouth. Brush at least two times a day for at least two minutes each time. This gives you enough time to brush your teeth on every side and to brush your tongue. Brushing your tongue is essential to both remove bacteria and help freshen your breath.
Flossing daily is also highly recommended. Why? Because your toothbrush alone can’t get into every space between your teeth and it can’t get below your gum line. Find the best floss that works for you -there are many different types and flavors – and take about 18 inches. Wrap the ends around the middle fingers of both hands, holding it with your thumbs and index fingers. Then floss around both sides of every tooth.
Some people don’t like the feeling of flossing and so they may use something like a flosser, which is a device with short handles and floss that goes through each end, or a water flosser. The key is to find something that you can commit to using every day.
Contact a California dentist for exceptional oral care
This five minutes per day can make a huge difference when it comes to preventing tooth decay and gum disease. However, remember that you still need to visit your dentist at least every six months for a cleaning and exam. We can find issues while they’re still minor and easy to fix. To get set up with your appointment, contact California Dental Group at (800) 407-0161. We look forward to helping you find the best options for your unique needs.
