Sometimes it seems like a simple task to maintain your oral hygiene, but it’s worth putting the time and effort into researching. While typical daily routines are helpful, there are other things you should do to keep your mouth in tip-top shape. Your family dentist in Ellington can help you develop the best routines to keep up on your oral health.

Starting With the Basics

The basics of your oral health are important to establish. Without these, there can be serious consequences for your mouth like tooth decay, gum disease and your overall health.

Here are your oral health basics:

• Brushing your teeth twice a day helps to remove plaque so it doesn’t build up and cause an infection.
• Flossing your teeth daily also removes debris in your teeth and provides you with a healthier smile.
• Brushing your tongue with a toothbrush or scraper is important to remove bacteria from your mouth.
• Using ADA-approved dental care products ensures that you are choosing the best options for your mouth.
• Schedule semi-annual dental checkups and cleanings for you and your family.

These basics are all important in their own right and can prevent detrimental damage. Scheduling regular dentist visits will ensure that if there is a problem, it will be fixed before it can grow into something larger.

Extra Tips to Improving Oral Health

Just doing the bare minimum won’t always be the answer to keeping cavities and infections away. There are some added things you can do to ramp up your preventive routines:

• Double check your form while brushing your teeth. Dentists say that the best way to brush is in a gentle back and forth gentle motion moving from the outer to inner surfaces of your teeth. Lastly, brush your tongue and cheeks.
• Switching to an electric toothbrush can also be an option if you don’t want to worry about your brushing form. Plus, the movement is incredibly effective at removing plaque and bacteria.
• Mouthwashes have special ingredients that help to kill bacteria and strengthen teeth. It’s great to talk to your dentist about what ones will be best for you.
• If you grind your teeth, it’s a good idea to find a solution, like a custom-fitted nightguard from your dentist. This can wear down your enamel and increase your sensitivity.

5 Ways to Make Your Teeth Brighter and Stronger

There are some small natural things you could do to help your teeth out. If you know your enamel isn’t as strong as it should be, you still have a chance to improve it. Here are a few things you can do to strengthen your teeth:

• Eating calcium-rich foods helps reharden and strengthen your enamel. Incorporating foods like dairy products, leafy greens and nuts into your diet can do this.
• Making the decision to drink water instead of soda or juice can help keep your teeth whiter and is a more enamel-friendly option.
• If your enamel is worn down, or you have sensitive teeth, you can brush with enamel-strengthening toothpastes.
• Try avoiding foods and drinks like tomatoes, coffee and red wine. They have higher amounts of acids in them and can discolor and weaken your tooth’s enamel.

The best way to make sure you’re properly taking care of your smile is to schedule your appointments with your dentist in Ellington. This will ensure that you are helped by a trustworthy professional and the best preventive techniques are available to you.

About the Practice

For decades, our dentists at Zahner Dental have been caring for the community of Ellington. With patient care and service at the forefront of our practice, it’s no wonder that we’re highly rated and recommended by our patients. For any questions or to schedule an appointment, you can visit our website or contact us at (860) 870-9031.