4 Oral Hygiene Habits you should Consider

Louisville, KY

At Exceptional Dentistry, we believe in the mouth-body connection: that good oral health is crucial to maintaining good overall health. If you’re a health-conscious person, you focus on factors such as diet, exercise, and ensuring you get enough quality sleep. It’s important to make oral hygiene just as high a priority. To that end, your family dentists in Kentuckiana compiled this list of four habits you should consider adding to your oral hygiene routine.

Habit 1: Brush 2×2

That’s 2×2, as in twice a day, for two minutes every time. Good oral hygiene is impossible without a proper brushing routine. This is the best way to remove any plaque that forms on your teeth. We recommend you use a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoridated toothpaste; just look for a toothpaste with the American Dental Association’s seal of approval on the packaging. And be sure to brush in gentle circles, as over brushing can actually damage your teeth.

Habit 2: Floss daily

Studies have shown that only 30% of Americans floss every day and one-third of Americans do not floss at all. However, flossing is the only way to clean the spaces between your teeth, which are impossible for your toothbrush to reach. The best time of day to floss is at night, after you’ve eaten for the last time that day. Flossing is especially important if you have any restorations in your mouth: bridges, implants, or even cosmetic work such as veneers, as food particles and bacteria can congregate on the edges and corners.

Habit 3: Rinse

As in, use an oral rinse or mouthwash that is alcohol-free. You probably have seen commercials for mouthwashes that contain alcohol and promise to kill up to 99% of bacteria in the mouth. Nowadays, the ADA recommends using alcohol-free rinses. In fact, recent research finds that peroxide-based oral rinses kill cavity-causing bacteria, as well as any COVID-19 particles that might reside in the mouth.

Habit 4: See your dentist regularly

You should visit your dentist every six months for a checkup. At Exceptional Dentistry, a dental checkup includes a professional cleaning of your teeth, which removes all the bacteria and plaque from your mouth, as well as any tartar buildup. Tartar forms when dental plaque hardens; by this point, regular brushing and flossing will not remove tartar, as this only can be accomplished by an oral health professional.

Comprehensive dental care in Louisville and Shepherdsville in Kentucky and Jeffersonville, Indiana

Follow these four steps and it will put you on the road to a lifetime of good oral health. Have you lapsed in your schedule of regular dental visits every six months? If so, there’s no better time than now to get back on track. Reach out to Exceptional Dentistry today if you’re in need of a new dentist or a dental cleaning. Led by our four experienced dentists, our team of oral health professionals has three locations in the Kentuckiana area to serve you. Schedule your appointment today by calling (502) 423-7868 or visit our website.