Oral health is an important aspect of your overall well-being. Your teeth play a vital role that helps in mastication and aesthetic enhancement. To maintain optimal oral health, you must take care of your teeth and the supporting structures like gums. And as the saying goes charity begins at home, and so does oral care!
Family Dentistry in Omaha, NE, comprises skilled dental professionals who are dedicated to providing the best oral care and guiding you toward maintaining proper oral health at home.
Why is dental home care important to your oral health?
Dental home care is more important than ever. Neither adults nor children are immune to dental problems. Although dentists always take charge of diagnosing and treating oral issues, it is your job too to take care of your teeth and gums. This can successfully avoid factors that could increase the risk of suffering from dental problems and other diseases.
Maintaining routine oral hygiene care is important since this will keep your teeth free from bacteria, plaque, and calculus which are the main causes of tooth decay and gum disease.
What is dental home care?
Dental home care is a group of practices and procedures that you can follow conveniently at home to keep your teeth and gums in ideal condition. Following these practices can keep you away from oral diseases, thereby saving you time and money from extensive dental procedures.
The most essential dental home care habits include the following:
Regular tooth brushing
- The American Dental Association (ADA) suggests using a soft bristle brush and fluoridated toothpaste.
- You are recommended to brush your teeth twice a day, especially before going to bed at night.
- Place the head of your brush at 45 45-degree angle to the gums, and gently brush your teeth in a small circular motion.
Dental flossing
- Daily flossing is the best way to remove plaque from the interdental areas (area between your adjacent teeth).
- This prevents damage to the teeth, gums, and the alveolar bone.
- Take 30 to 40 cm of floss and wrap it around your middle fingers.
- Use your thumb and forefingers to guide the floss to insert it into the interdental area using a sawing motion.
- To clean the gum line curve the floss into a “C” shape and gently move up and down.
Other aids
- Interdental brushes
- Mouth rinses
- Oral irrigators
Taking care of your teeth and gums is crucial since it helps prevent problems like tooth decay, gingivitis, and tooth loss. A healthy mouth paves the way to a healthy body.
