5 THINGS DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT CARING FOR YOUR TEETH
Posted on 11/7/2022 by Covington Family Dental
1. Your mouth is a part of your body.
Medications you take for your systemic conditions have an impact on the health of your teeth and gums. Untreated periodontal disease and dental decay can have a negative impact on your general health.
2. Brushing harder does not lead to better oral health.
Your gum tissue and the bone under them are what support your teeth and keep them connected to your jawbone. Pushing hard with your toothbrush leads to erosion of your tissues and creates recession. Improper technique negatively impacts the health of your gums.
3. With brushing and flossing, it’s all in the technique.
Proper brushing happens when the bristles of the toothbrush are facing up into the area where your teeth and gums meet at a 45-degree angle. This allows the toothbrush to remove plaque and debris stuck in this area. The toothbrush should move in small circular motions along your teeth. You should floss in a C shape to hug the tooth and clean the sides of it.
If you bleed while flossing, don’t be alarmed- it is common if you are not a daily flosser.
4. Dentures are not a quick fix.
Dentures are not connected to you unless you choose an implant -supported option. Wearing dentures often comes as a shock to patients. You will have to learn to eat, talk, and function with a completely new appliance in your mouth. They are not a quick fix to avoid caring for your oral health.
5. Baby teeth serve an important purpose.
Baby teeth are important for the development of adult teeth in many ways. They are spacers to allow adult teeth to come in properly, they help with speech development and they affect chewing.
Habits formed in childhood are important for adulthood. Your first permanent tooth erupts in your mouth around age 6 and remains with you for the rest of your life.
It is never too early to teach children about the importance of oral hygiene over the course of their life.
