If you don’t take good care of your teeth (or mouth, in general) you could end up with an infection, decay, damage, or worst case – even tooth loss. Preventive dentistry is a great way to avoid bacteria from causing these issues in your mouth. Are you practicing good oral hygiene? This is one of the biggest parts of preventive dentistry – making sure you’re brushing and flossing your teeth properly. If you don’t know the “right” way to brush your teeth, ask your dentist. We’re sure they would be happy to help you!
How Often Should You Brush And Floss?
This question is quite common, actually.
Ideally, you would brush your teeth twice per day (three times if you’re more prone to bacteria). The best times to usually do this are before bedtime and when you wake up. This way, you’re minimizing the amount of bacteria and debris in your mouth overnight, and you’re cleaning off the bacteria that built up overnight off first thing in the morning.
Flossing can be trickier. As long as you’re at least flossing once per day, your teeth should stay pretty healthy. This will make sure there aren’t any food particles or other bacteria stuck between your teeth for extended periods of time.
When Do You See Your Dentist?
Besides seeing your dentist if you suspect a problem with your teeth, when else do you see them? In order to optimize your oral health, you should see your dentist once to twice per year. However, sometimes they may recommend otherwise. In these cases, it’s always encouraged to follow your dentists’ recommendation.
If you think there may be something wrong, a phone call to your dentist never hurts. They may want to see you to get a good look at what’s going on.
