Excellent dental care isn’t just about caring for your teeth; it’s also about teaching you what you need to know to keep your smile consistently healthy. In most cases, that means ways to improve your dental hygiene routine at home, either by being more consistent in your routine or focusing on things you may be overlooking. Today, we examine why good dental hygiene is so important to your long-term oral health and offer a few general dentistry tips to help you be better at it.
Tips to Be Better
- You may realize that brushing and flossing your teeth at least twice a day is the cornerstone of good dental hygiene. However, it isn’t just the act of cleaning them that keeps your teeth healthy; it’s the removal of harmful oral bacteria that constantly accumulate on them. Be sure to brush and floss every surface of every tooth, every time, to make sure bacteria don’t have the chance to harm your teeth and gums.
- Speaking of brushing and flossing, be sure to floss first, and then brush. As you clean the particles from between your teeth, they’ll linger around in your mouth until you wash them away. Flossing first and then brushing helps ensure that no food particles or plaque remain when you walk away from the sink.
- Let your dentist help by sticking to a routine schedule of preventive checkup and cleaning appointments. As good as your hygiene routine at home may be, you can still miss spots of plaque here and there. When plaque calcifies into tartar, it can no longer be removed at home, but will need the professional equipment used by your dentist or hygienist.
Learn More About Improving Your Hygiene
With a better, more consistent hygiene routine and a regular schedule of preventive dental care, you can protect and preserve your healthy smile for life. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX at 832-437-3849. We proudly welcome patients and families from Katy, Fulshear, Weston Lakes, Simonton, Richmond, Rosenberg, Brookshire, Wallis, Orchard, Cypress, Sealy, Columbus, and all surrounding communities.