In 2009, Dental Hygiene Awareness Month was created with the goal of reminding people of the importance of oral health as well as how to prevent tooth decay and other common problems. If you’re just now hearing about it, that’s okay – it’s never too late to take a look at your dental care regimen and make improvements where needed. If you’re not sure where to start, then read on for five tips!
1. Floss Every Morning or Evening
Remember, your toothbrush only cleans about 60% of the surface of your teeth. To remove plaque, food particles, and bacteria from the other 40%, you need to floss every single day – no exceptions. If this isn’t a part of your routine already, then put a note on your bathroom mirror to help make it a habit!
2. Brush Your Teeth for Two Full Minutes
In short, brushing your teeth twice a day isn’t enough if you are just dampening the bristles with water and quickly running them over the surface. You need to use a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste for a full two minutes. Time yourself – it’s longer than you think!
3. Rinse with an Antimicrobial Mouthwash
In addition to brushing twice a day and flossing consistently, you need to rinse with mouthwash to help prevent plaque buildup, keep your breath fresh, and clean the hard-to-reach areas of your mouth. Make sure you do so for the full 30-60 seconds too. Otherwise, you won’t get the full effect!
4. Don’t Over-Indulge on Sugar
With Halloween at the end of the month and holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, October is basically the beginning of sugar season. Despite that, it’s important that you keep your intake of sweet treats to a minimum. It’s a small thing that will make a big impact on your oral health!
5. Schedule Your Next Dental Visit
To ensure that oral health problems, like tooth decay, are caught early on and that harmful substances, like plaque, don’t have a chance to buildup, you need to get a dental checkup and cleaning twice a year. If your second one of 2024 isn’t on the calendar, then make that a priority this October!
About the Practice
Our team at Rauchberg Dental Group wants you to look forward to your appointments at our Parsippany dental office, which is why we offer complimentary refreshments, have TVs in the operatories, and offer countless other patient-centered amenities, like nitrous oxide. We also provide preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental care all under one roof, so you don’t have to go elsewhere to maintain, restore, and enhance your smile. If you want to schedule your next dental checkup and teeth cleaning, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment with us via our website or by phone at (973) 718-9887.