Visiting the dentist regularly is important. And it’s equally important to pair this with proper oral hygiene at home, so you can keep your teeth and gums as healthy as can be.
So, how do you care for your teeth and gums? It's really as easy as 1-2-3:
Take note that you not only need to do these regularly, you need to do these properly as well.
Proper oral hygiene prevents tooth decay and helps remove plaque and bacteria, and ultimately prevents gum disease.
We recommend brushing your teeth after every meal - or once after breakfast and again before you go to sleep at night.
Not brushing your teeth properly can lead to dental problems such as gum recession. Gum recession is when you brush your teeth too hard which causes your gums to deteriorate and exposes more of your teeth.
We recommend that you replace your toothbrush every three months.
Here’s how to brush your teeth with the proper techniques according to the Canadian Dental Association (CDA):
Are you using an electric toothbrush? The technique is just a little different:
It’s essential to floss your teeth at least once daily. Dental floss reaches those hard to reach spaces between your teeth and close to your gums.
Did you know that when you skip flossing, you miss cleaning one-third of your teeth?
Why is flossing important? When left uncleaned, food particles turn into plaque. Plaque that’s left uncleaned can harden and turn into tartar. And flossing helps to prevent that from happening.
If you are new to the flossing game, your gums are very likely to bleed. Depending on the person, the bleeding usually stops after a few days of regular flossing. And if the bleeding doesn't stop, make sure that you schedule an appointment with your dentist right away to check for gum disease.
We can’t wait to see you at your next dental appointment! If you’ve never been to our clinic before, we can schedule you for your first consultation - we are always accepting new patients.