Posted on 08/14/2017
Oral hygiene is essential when it comes to achieving a beautiful smile. Most people brush their teeth on a regular basis, but sometimes we forget to floss or tend to put it off until later. However, there are many other factors besides brushing and flossing that affect your dental health. At Main Line Center for Dental Excellence in Narberth, PA we care about your smile and oral health. Our dental staff understands that developing healthy oral habits can be a bit difficult, especially when it comes to your kids. To help you and your family, we came up with a list of 5 easy dental habits that you and your children should practice on a daily basis.
1. BRUSHING
Like we mentioned earlier, most people brush their teeth daily. However, many people—both children AND adults—don’t necessarily put much thought into how they brush. But it’s important to remember that not all brushing techniques are equal. In fact, learning how to brush properly can dramatically impact your oral health. At our Narberth, PA office, we recommend that our patients use an electric toothbrush, specifically the Sonicare. For those of our patients who prefer a regular toothbrush, we recommend brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush for at least two minutes with a steady controlled pressure. Our dentists at Main Line Center for Dental Excellence recommend that patients brush their teeth twice a day and use a toothpaste with fluoride to help get rid of plaque that contributes to tooth decay.
2. FLOSSING
Flossing and learning how to floss properly is also extremely important for good oral hygiene. These days, there are so many flossing tools out there, so there’s no excuse for not flossing on a daily basis. That being said, good old-fashioned dental floss is one of our favorite tried-and-true methods, and it’s inexpensive. Our dentist in Narberth, PA and our dental staff recommends flossing at least once a day. Benefits of flossing include food and plaque removal, particularly in between your teeth where your toothbrush can't reach. Preventing plaque buildup is especially important because it is the number one cause of gum disease and tooth decay.
3. CLEAN YOUR TONGUE
Cleaning your tongue is an easy way to step up your oral hygiene game, but it’s one that people often forget about. While you tongue can’t get cavities itself, bacteria from your tongue can find their way to your teeth and gums, undoing all of the good work you did when you brushed and flossed. Another reason to brush your tongue is to prevent bad breath, which is caused by bacteria and other debris that congregate on your tongue. At Main Line Center for Dental Excellence, our dentists recommend to physically remove the bacteria on their tongue.through brushing or other tongue cleaning devices at least once a day.
4. LIMIT SODA, COFFEE, AND ALCOHOL
We all know that sugar is bad for our teeth, but sometimes we forget about how much damage diet sodas and other beverages can do. The acid found in diet sodas and other soft drinks can really do a lot of damage to your teeth. In addition, an excessive amount of phosphorus found in many of these beverages can actually deplete your body’s much-needed calcium. This can also contribute to tooth decay and gum disease. From a cosmetic perspective, drinks like coffee and tea can stain and dull the bright white sheen of your teeth.
5. VISIT YOUR LOCAL NARBERTH DENTIST
Even when you think you’re doing everything right, it is necessary to visit your dentist at least once every six months to get a full oral hygiene check up and have your teeth thoroughly cleaned and examined. At Main Line Center for Dental Excellence, we want to make sure that we catch any potential dental problems at an early stage so that your mouth stays healthy and your teeth look their best.
SCHEDULE YOUR DENTIST APPOINTMENT AT YOUR LOCAL NARBERTH DENTISTRY
At Main Line Center for Dental Excellence we are committed to delivering exceptional, beautiful smiles, while also providing additional resources to help achieve our high standard of dentistry. Our Narberth, PA dentists and staff always strive to provide the highest levels of care to all our patients and care about your smile. If you have any further questions about any of our dental treatments, please feel free to contact us or make an appointment today!
CONTACT YOUR MERION COSMETIC DENTIST
If you’re in or around Merion or Narberth and you’re in search of cosmetic dentistry, general dentistry, periodontal or endodontic care, or any of our other services, we encourage you to give us a call at (610) 664-6061. Please feel free to contact us online or by phone if you have any questions or comments. We look forward to your visit!