5 Oral Health Care Blunders

Committing to positive oral care practices pose as the greatest boon to ensure a healthy, happy smile. Covering the basics of semiannual routine checkups alongside routine brushing and flossing throughout the day are undeniable practices to enhance your smile!

With that in mind, there is always room for error within the general advice dental professionals preach when it’s not substantially expanded upon. Leaving patients vulnerable to actually harming their smile through simple misunderstandings.

Let’s review some of the common errors which patients fall into without even knowing it!

Committing to Only a Morning Brush

While it’s common knowledge to brush your teeth daily, it’s important to understand the specificities behind such a statement. Many people brush their teeth for the sole purpose of having fresh smelling breath, which is most typically needed first thing in the morning, but this doesn’t capture the whole picture!

It’s important to note that brushing before bed is considered equally, or even more important, than an early brush. Since ending the day without cleansing bacteria allows it to accumulate amongst your teeth overnight, placing you at higher risk for tooth decay and gum disease development. So, live by this - brush twice daily as a basic practice!

Using Too Much Force

Many people tend to actually damage their teeth by performing a function designed to care for them. This remains true with brushing, as we know brushing should be done twice daily, sometimes it can be performed too extremely.

When people brush too vigorously, even with good intent, it can damage the gumline and cause it to recede. Once this occurs, more delicate areas of the teeth are exposed, leading to increased sensitivity to pain and temperature and also wearing down the enamel’s surface, leaving you vulnerable to a handful of complications. Remember, a beautiful smile will be achieved through time, patience, and commitment, so there’s no harm in slowing down!

In a Rush to Leave

Speaking of slowing down, many people fail to actually brush their teeth for an acceptable amount of time. A morning routine to get ready for work or school can be crammed with back-to-back activities, but it’s crucial you take a few dedicated minutes aside to gently and thoroughly brush your teeth!

It’s generally recommended by professionals to brush your teeth twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time. Giving you enough leeway to extensively reach every corner of your mouth. Try setting your alarm for 7:28 instead of 7:30, or skip the snooze button, to ensure your smile’s health is properly attended to!

Brushing Right After a Meal

Seemingly strange at first, it’s suggested to actually wait between 30 minutes to an hour after a meal before you brush your teeth. This ensures you’re better protecting the enamel of the teeth, and allows your saliva the chance to help properly perform its function; contributing to washing away food particles and ensuring a proper pH level.

Hoarding Old Brushes

As you’ve probably learned by now, toothbrushes are essential tools! Therefore, a toothbrush should be changed every 3 to 4 months, granting your smile the work it deserves on a daily basis.

When toothbrushes go past this point, their bristles become frayed and worn out, and will not be effective when scrubbing amongst the smile’s surface. Try investing in electric toothbrushes, not only are they more impressive alternatives in terms of performance, they typically come with a set of interchangeable heads which will alleviate you from future trips to the drugstore!

To learn more about ways you may be unknowingly halting your smile from being the best it can be, we recommend contacting a trusted dental professional capable of guiding any smile down the best path!