Woman brushing her teeth

So, you’ve just had a cleaning and checkup and you feel great. Your teeth feel slick and smooth, your gums aren’t bleeding as much and you just feel… fresh. You’re just hoping you don’t have that “fuzzy feeling” return as quickly as it has in the past. This time, you swear to yourself that you’re going to work harder at home to keep things feeling great. After all, you want to have another good checkup next time, too! If you want to know what you and your family can do to have great visits every time, a dentist in Denton explains some simple steps you can take at home for great oral health.

How Will a Good Homecare Routine Help You?

What you do at home will have a big impact on your dental health! By doing a few simple things, you can look forward to all of the following:

• Fewer Cavities – The more time you spend taking care of things at home, the less time you’ll spend at the dentist having things fixed.
• Easier Cleanings – By keeping your teeth and gums clean on a daily basis, your cleanings will be much easier. Healthy gum tissue isn’t tender or uncomfortable and you won’t have as much tartar that needs to be removed.
• Maintaining Your Dental Work – Your dental work is an investment. The effort you make at home is a great way to protect that investment and get as many years as you can out of your fillings, crowns and bridgework.

What Can You Do at Home For Better Checkups?

Here are some great tips and tricks from your family dentist in Denton to keep your teeth and gums healthy in between visits:

Brushing & Flossing

As you know, brushing and flossing is the foundation of any good hygiene routine. Brush at least twice a day with a soft-bristled brush, aiming your bristles at 45 degrees towards the gumline.

Be sure to spend two minutes brushing and use light pressure. Don’t forget to brush your tongue! Also, electric toothbrush is a great option and will do a superior job cleaning your teeth.

Floss once per day. If you have dexterity issues or extensive bridgework, a waterpik or showerpik can also be really helpful.

Mouthwash

A mouthwash is a great addition to your regimen, and can get into the small spaces that are easy to miss with your toothbrush and floss.

If you have bleeding gums, an antiseptic mouthwash can be helpful for making the tissues healthier. If you’re main issue is cavities, a fluoride mouthwash is a great way to strengthen your enamel and prevent decay before it starts.

There are also all-in-one formulas that can do both at the same time!

Diet

While you don’t have to avoid sugars and carbohydrates altogether, try to avoid grazing on sugary foods and beverages throughout the day.

For example, try finishing a soda or coffee with sugar within a short time instead of sipping on it. This reduces the amount of time that acids are in the mouth. Just remember the saying, “Sip all day, get decay.”

By adopting some of these simple practices, you’ll be on your way to consistently great checkups in no time!

About the Author

Dr. Ted Dunson II is a Texas native who is passionate about providing his community with outstanding dental care. His goal is to do as little dental work as possible by educating his patients about what they can do at home to prevent problems from the start. He can be reached for questions via his website or at (940) 566-4942.