Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month

October is National Dental Hygiene Month, which is a great reminder to create an oral hygiene routine that will keep your teeth healthy and strong for years to come. Brushing and flossing are essential parts of your routine to avoid tooth decay and keep your breath fresh and your gums healthy. Don’t forget to have regular dental checkups and cleanings, as well, to make sure that your oral health is in tip-top shape. Learn how you can celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month and what you can do to protect your oral health with this guide!

The Harmful Effects of Tooth Decay

October is National Dental Hygiene Month and as such, it strives to remind kids, teenagers and adults everywhere to take care of their oral health with regular brushing and flossing routines and regular visits with the dentist. One of the most common dental ailments that ruins people’s oral health is tooth decay. Tooth decay develops as bacteria from the food we eat breaks down into acid and eats away at our tooth enamel. While our tooth enamel is strong, once it deteriorates from decay, it’s gone forever. Not only that, but once tooth decay eats away at your enamel, cavities (holes in the teeth) form. These cavities are painful and often expensive to fix, plus they look ugly in your mouth. Cavities are more common among children than they are adults, but anyone can develop one. While eating sugary foods and drinks are the major culprits behind tooth decay, poor dental hygiene habits are contributing to rising numbers of tooth decay in patients everywhere. Bad brushing and flossing, along with rare visits to the dentist, leaves patients vulnerable to the silent but deadly attack that tooth decay wages in our mouths every day. By committing to a good dental hygiene routine, you will drastically reduce the chance of experiencing decay in your life. Not only that, but a decay-free mouth is a healthy mouth, which will save you time, energy and lots of money in the long run.

Dental Hygiene Tips

To stay on top of your oral health, it’s essential that you are brushing and flossing your teeth each day. While most people do this, many aren’t brushing and flossing properly. This leaves them at a disadvantage when it comes to tooth decay. For starters, tilt your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle when you brush them. Use gentle back-and-forth strokes when brushing, and make sure that you’re brushing along the gum line, as well. Brush the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of each tooth, and don’t forget to brush your tongue. Our tongues are notorious for holding bacteria, so if you want to avoid bad breath, keep your tongue clean. After brushing, it’s essential that you floss between your teeth. Many people forego this step since it can be tedious and they want to get to bed, but your toothbrush can’t reach all the places that plaque and tartar like to hide in. Grab 18 inches of floss and wrap it around your middle and index fingers (or whichever finger feels more comfortable) and gently slide a section between two teeth. Move the floss in an up-and-down motion and curve it around the tooth so that you grab all debris that may be there. Floss down under the gum line where sticky plaque loves to accumulate, but don’t force the floss into a tight space where it could cut your gum tissue. If you can, use a clean section of floss with each tooth until you are finished. This process only takes a few minutes each day, but it makes a world of difference when it comes to your oral health.

The Importance of Regular Dental Checkups

Last but not least, a good dental hygiene routine necessitates regular dental checkups. One of the greatest benefits of a dental checkup is the thorough, deep cleaning you receive from the dentist. This cleaning uses multiple tools to scrape away hardened plaque and polish your teeth for a beautiful shine. Not only that, but a dental checkup also involves an oral cancer screening, digital X-rays to evaluate your bone health, fluoride treatments, dental sealants for kids and fillings for cavities. Your dentist will also perform a comprehensive exam to identify any bite problems, see how your jaw bones are working and address any areas of concern that you may have. He/she will also go over proper dental hygiene techniques that you can use at home to keep your teeth in good shape until your next dental checkup. If your teeth are in bad shape, your dentist may perform a scaling and root planing treatment to treat signs of gum disease or other invasive procedures, like teeth extractions or dental implants. Taking care of your teeth now will help you avoid some of these painful experiences in the future and save you money at the same time.

Celebrate Dental Hygiene Month With Us!

Celebrate National Dental Hygiene Month by scheduling a dental checkup with Stonebrook Family Dental! Dr. Varley and his staff use only the best of the best tools and technology to treat your dental problems and give you the best smile possible. Call our office today at (303) 872-7907 to schedule your next dental checkup and get your oral health on the right track!