It’s important to practice good oral hygiene at home to prevent cavities, gum disease, and other oral health issues. Your smile is vital to helping you eat the foods you enjoy, speaking, smiling, and showing (or hiding) emotions. Having good oral hygiene will also lower your TOTAL health care costs! Since your mouth is the gateway to your body, The TeleDentists wants to keep your smile healthy with some at- home tips.
• Maintain good oral hygiene!
Remember the rule of two: Brush twice daily, for two minutes, and get a professional dental cleaning every six months. The dental hygienist has the right tools to remove any stains on your teeth! Don’t try this at home… Plus, the dentist will confirm you don’t have any cavities. The TeleDentists also recommend you floss after every meal- but once a day will do too!
Other ways to improve your smile at home include:
• Use quality whitening products. It can be dangerous to leave these whitening products on for too long, so please read and follow the instructions. There’s no point in whitening plaque and tarter, so be sure to have your teeth clean and ready for the whitening!
• Drink water. Water helps reduce stains on your teeth by removing any particles that would stain your teeth and stimulating saliva. Plus, you get the added benefit of staying hydrated.
• It’s important to get dental problems diagnosed and treated in the initial stages to keep pricing low and treatment not as extensive. A small filling (cavity) can turn into a root canal and crown quickly if that decay isn’t removed.
• Avoid tobacco in any form. We know from extensive medical and scientific research that tobacco is bad for your body. Oral cancer is on the rise, and you are more vulnerable to oral cancer if you use tobacco. No surprise, it will also stain your teeth!
Poor oral hygiene can lead to:
Oral infections that cause periodontal disease, gum disease, dental abscesses, and more.
Tooth decay, aka cavities, can cause holes in your teeth or even tooth loss! Actually, gum disease is the top reason adults in the USA lose their teeth.
Infections from the mouth can enter the rest of your body. If you listen to the dental hygienist during your visit, you’ll hear words like “plaque, tartar, build-up”. All the words you’ll hear in a cardiologist’s office. There’s also been a correlation between bad oral hygiene and Alzheimer's and Dementia, and even Erectile Disfunction.
Taking care of your teeth at home is imperative to helping you live a long, and happy life. Preventive oral health habits developed early in life can lead to better overall oral health throughout a person's life. But it’s never too late! You can talk to The TeleDentists, or a TeleHygienists, about how you can DIY your smile, get product recommendations, and referrals.
