Whether you have all of your natural teeth or dental implants, you know how important it is to make your oral hygiene a priority. We briefly touched on the importance of flossing in a past blog and how failing to floss regularly can have disastrous effects on your oral health. Unfortunately, this is just one of many ways your oral hygiene routine can fall short. Keeping up great oral hygiene is essential for a beautiful, complete smile. Failing to do so can result in tooth loss or dental implant failure. We advise all of our patients here in Fountain Valley, CA to pay special attention to their oral hygiene routine. Even patients that brush twice a day and floss each day can end up having oral health problems. That is because there are tons of common mistakes that will hinder your good hygiene. To explain more on this subject, Dr. Andrew Mortensen shares the most common oral hygiene mistakes we see amongst our patients. Is there oral hygiene effective? Read more to find out what mistakes you can possibly be making.
The Importance of Oral Hygiene
Before we get into the common mistakes we see when it comes to oral hygiene, we want to explain why an oral hygiene routine is so crucial in the first place. Keeping up a regular oral hygiene is important because it helps remove harmful bacteria and plaque that can accumulate on your teeth. Other reasons to make oral hygiene a priority include:
- Removing plaque to avoid tooth decay: Not removing plaque from teeth regularly can allow for plaque to eat away at the layers of the tooth and result in full-blown cavities.
- Avoid gum disease: Plaque and tartar are the main contributing factors to the development of poor periodontal health.
- Avoid hefty dental bills: Taking care of your teeth with a regular routine can help you avoid expensive dental bills later down the line. Brushing and flossing daily are well worth the time when you consider the expenses associated with fillings, extractions, and root canals.
- Feel confident with a healthy smile: Your smile is an important part of your physical appearance and keeping adequate oral health will help you maintain healthy, beautiful teeth.
- Avoid health complications: Oral health problems have been linked to poor overall health. Conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease are commonly found in patients with poor oral health.
Common Hygiene Mistakes
Not Taking Your Time: It’s recommended that you spend two minutes brushing your teeth twice a day. For many patients, quickly running the toothbrush over their teeth may seem like it is good enough. However, this is not the case. With 32 teeth in your mouth, it’s important to use gentle, circular motions to remove plaque on all sides of each tooth. If you have a difficult time spending enough time with your oral hygiene routine, try setting a timer to make sure you use the full two minutes. Some electric toothbrushes even have built in timers that will alert you after two minutes is up
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Using a Hard-Bristled Toothbrush: Using a brush with hard bristles can end up irritating your gums and scraping at the enamel of your tooth. Using a hard-bristled toothbrush over a long period of time can end up causing your gums to recede. This can cause the root of the tooth to become exposed and susceptible to decay. Make sure to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and gentle strokes to efficiently remove plaque without harming your teeth.
Immediately Brushing After Eating/Drinking: Eating or drinking something acidic will weaken the enamel after consumption. It’s important not to brush or floss while your enamel is in a weakened state. Wait at least 30 minutes to brush in order to allow the enamel to harden back up.
Not Drinking Enough Water: Having a dry mouth can have an impact on your oral health. Drinking a sufficient amount of water is important for maintaining great oral health. Staying hydrated helps wash away bacteria in your mouth and can also help with saliva production. Saliva is another important aspect to oral health because it helps neutralize acids in the mouth.
Forgetting to Brush Your Tongue: Your tongue covers a large area and can accumulate quite a bit of plaque and bacteria. Make sure to include your tongue during your daily oral hygiene routine to limit bacteria accumulation.
Contact our Office in Fountain Valley
Making your oral hygiene routine a priority is the best way to avoid oral health problems like tooth decay and tooth loss later in life. If you’re currently dealing with tooth loss, we recommend looking into restorative treatment as soon as possible. Dental implants can give patients a natural-looking smile that feels as secure as their natural teeth. To start you dental implant process, contact our office today. You can be one step closer to a complete smile by scheduling your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Mortensen today!