National Dental Hygiene Month 

October is National Dental Hygiene month. This month serves as an annual reminder to practice the good dental hygiene habits that promote healthy teeth and gums. This month isn’t just for children, either, but it also serves to remind adults to take care of their dental health, too. 

Why Dental Hygiene is Important 

One of the most important parts of your daily routine is how you care for your mouth, teeth, and gums. Having good dental hygiene not only prevents bad breath, but it also works to fight other dental health problems, like cavities and gum disease. Further, your mouth is a window to what is going on in the rest of your body, Colgate explains, stating that the mouth serves as a helpful vantage point for noticing beginning symptoms of other underlying diseases. Systemic diseases, like AIDS or diabetes, don’t just affect one part of your body, rather your entire body. Oftentimes, one of the first signs of these conditions start as lesions and other oral health problems. If you notice issues with your oral health, it’s important to see Dr. Kevin Varley here at Stonebrook Family Dental for your health. 

Good Dental Hygiene Practices for Adults 

If you’re not sure if you have a good at-home oral hygiene routine, the CDC provides these tips on how you can make sure you’re maintaining good dental hygiene: 

• Drink fluoridated water and brush with fluoride toothpaste 
• Practice good oral hygiene by brushing thoroughly twice a day, and flossing at least once each day to remove plaque
• Quit tobacco use and smoking 
• Limit alcoholic drinks 
• Manage underlying health issues, like diabetes, that could put you at risk for further complications if not controlled 
• If you’re on medications and they’re causing problems like dry mouth, talk with your doctor about switching medications that don’t come with this side effect. If you can’t switch, drink more water, chew sugarless gum, and avoid alcohol and smoking to produce saliva

In addition to these tips, one of the best things you can do for your dental health is to go to your dentist for routine checkups, despite your current dental health. There are plenty of areas in the mouth that we can’t see with our own eyes, but a dentist can. At your checkup, you will also undergo a deep cleaning that will help remove plaque and tartar, which can lead to gingivitis if not removed regularly. 

Dental Hygiene for Children 

Here at Stonebrook Family Dental, we strive to also provide kid-focused dental care. We believe that positive dental experiences during childhood provide the foundation for a lifetime of good oral health. Routine checkups and cleanings are just as important for children as they are for adults. We understand that everyone goes through busy seasons, and that because of that it can be difficult to maintain good oral health. Overtime, our teeth and gums can succumb to plaque and bacteria if we’re not careful. Finding the time in between school and extracurricular activities for your children to visit us will be beneficial for them in the long run. Over 50% of children from the ages of 6 to 11 will experience a cavity. Cavities can be avoided with proper oral hygiene. 

Benefits of Dental Care from an Early Age 

At Stonebrook Family Dental, we’re passionate about preventative dentistry. We believe that it’s always better to prevent rather than to cure or repair. How do we do this? By conducting regular checkups and cleanings to help protect you from unnecessary dental health issues. Being free from dental conditions and disease also keeps you from breaking the bank. To explain, when you call the dentist when symptoms are already present it is often too late for minimal repairs. When you see your dentist regularly, you can avoid more invasive procedures and permanent issues. Regular scheduled dental appointments are a necessary part of every oral health plan. Visiting the dentist every 6 months allows cavities to be caught early so that we can stop the decay in its tracks — no matter if you’re a child or adult. 

Make an Appointment with Stonebrook Family Dental

Here at Stonebrook Family Dental, we accept patients of all ages and provide a wide range of services for family dentistry. We are always focused on you, your oral health, and your comfort. In everything we do, from easy check-in and check-out procedures to advanced technology and comprehensive dentistry, we strive to exceed your expectations. Do something good for your oral health this October, schedule an appointment with Dr. Varley by calling us at 303-872-7907.