When you visit a dentist every six months, you will have your teeth cleaned with special instruments to remove the hardened plaque that tends to develop along the gums or between the teeth. You might think that you do a great job when you brush your teeth, but researchers have determined that a lot of food debris and bacteria remain on the teeth despite oral hygiene care. If you are failing to do the extra things that are necessary to keep your teeth and gums healthy, then you are likely to develop one or more of these common conditions.
1. Discolored Teeth
If you aren’t brushing and flossing enough, then your teeth will become discolored. You may develop overall staining that leads to gray or yellow dental enamel, but you can also develop ugly spots on your teeth. When you have your teeth professionally scraped and polished, the dentist will eliminate the discolorations that occur from eating brightly colored foods.
2. Bad Breath
The substances that build up on your teeth when you aren’t having dental office cleanings can cause chronic bad breath. Having halitosis is offensive to others, and it can affect your life because other people may avoid you at work, school or in social situations. At home, you can also avoid having halitosis by using a special plastic scraper on your tongue in addition to brushing and flossing your teeth.
3. Gum Disease
When you don’t get your teeth cleaned, there is a good chance that your gums also aren’t clean. If you have food debris on your gums, then bacteria will multiple, leading to infections in the delicate gum tissues. Without fast treatment for early gum disease, this problem can get worse, changing into periodontal disease that infects the alveolar bones and jawbone.
4. Dental Caries
Dental caries is one of the most common conditions that can occur to your teeth without proper cleaning. The bacteria that remain on your teeth will destroy the dental enamel, leading to cavities that require fillings. If you delay treatment for small cavities, then the decay can get worse, requiring a dental crown to protect the damaged tooth.
How To Avoid Dental Health Issues
If you want to avoid having one or more of these common conditions, then you should take care of your teeth and gums properly by using these items:
- Fluoridated toothpaste
- Toothbrush
- Dental floss
- Mouthwash
- Tongue scraper
- Fluoride rinses
- Dental picks
- Oral irrigator
- Electric toothbrush
Here are some of the ways to maintain the health of your teeth and gums to avoid oral health issues.
Brush Your Teeth
You should have a soft-bristled toothbrush to care for your teeth rather than using one that has hard bristles. Make sure to choose a toothbrush that is the proper size for you mouth, and also, you should replace the item every three months. Apply fluoridated toothbrush to the bristles before brushing your teeth for two to three minutes. Stand in front of a mirror to make sure that you are brushing all of the surfaces of your teeth to get rid of the food particles and bacteria. You must brush your teeth at least twice a day, but you can brush your teeth more than this to have a healthier mouth.
How to Floss Your Teeth
It is important to choose the right type of dental floss for your teeth, and you can find floss that is wide or narrow to fit into the space between your teeth and along the gums. For strand floss, you should pull out a long section from the tiny plastic box to hold it firmly in your fingers while you rub it along the areas at the bottom of your gums and between your teeth. There are also dental picks that are easy to carry in a handbag or briefcase so that you can remove plaque and food particles quickly.
Scraping Your Tongue
Use your special plastic scraper to remove the film of debris from the surface of your tongue. You will notice that your tongue looks better and your mouth tastes better after you do this.
Rinsing Your Mouth
You can strengthen the enamel on your teeth with special mouth rinses that are available at a local drugstore, or alternatively, you can use an antiseptic mouthwash to eliminate the bacteria in your mouth to prevent halitosis.
Use Special Devices
At least once a week, you can use special devices to augment your oral hygiene routine. An electric toothbrush or an oral irrigator can remove additional bacteria from your mouth to prevent cavities, gum disease or bad breath.
Do You Need Your Teeth Cleaned?
Schedule an appointment at Imagine Dental in Ahwatukee or Phoenix today to have your teeth cleaned by our dentist.
