4 Important Steps to Keep Your Teeth and Gums Healthy

Keeping your teeth and gums healthy requires commitment. You need to practice proper oral hygiene, watch what you eat, and visit the dentist regularly for routine cleanings and checkups. Since oral health is connected to overall wellness, many patients want to know how they can best protect teeth and gums. Following are four practical ways you can increase your oral health.
Practice Thorough Oral Hygiene
If you want to prevent common oral health conditions like dental caries and gum disease, you will need to commit to practicing proper and thorough oral hygiene. Brushing twice a day is essential for keeping the exposed surfaces of teeth free of debris and plaque, as well as for stimulating soft oral tissue. You should brush in gentle, circular motions with an ADA-approved toothbrush twice a day for about two to three minutes each time.
Flossing is another important and often overlooked part of oral hygiene. Everyone should floss at least once a day. Flossing is necessary for cleaning between teeth where the bristles of a toothbrush can’t reach. Moreover, flossing helps clean beneath the gum line and it disrupts the formation of colonies of bacteria, which contribute to plaque.
Visit the Dentist Regularly
While oral hygiene is important, it is not enough to keep gums and teeth healthy. Visiting a dentist for regular cleanings and checkups is important for detecting common diseases as early as possible. Our practice uses the latest technology to detect signs of decay and our trained team can catch gum disease in its early stages. Early detection normally means that a person can enjoy conservative and wallet-friendly treatments.

Drink Water
It may seem like water consumption has little to do with oral health but the opposite is true. Water is important for flushing away food particles and maintaining a healthy pH. Drinking water can dilute acids that attack teeth, too. We recommend drinking about 64 ounces of water per day (more if you live an active lifestyle).
Reduce Sugar Intake

Sugar feeds bacteria and when bacteria feed, they colonize and form plaque. Reducing sugar intake literally starves harmful bacteria. We encourage patients to abstain from sugar whenever possible.
Call our office to schedule an appointment with our caring team today!