Dental hygiene is just like any other health routine: it’s similar to a skincare routine, a fitness routine, or a hair care routine. Although our relationship with all of these routines may go through different phases, it’s important to develop a healthy relationship with our dental hygiene routine.
This is easier said than done, but creating the perfect routine that is for you can only be done by you. We wanted to help with the general process so we put together a few tips.
Creating a Good Dental Hygiene Routine
People often neglect things that are good for them because they don’t particularly enjoy the activity – or they don’t see immediate results. Try making your dental hygiene routine something you look forward to.
- You can start with buying a new toothbrush, either electric or traditional. Try playing music while you brush your teeth and brush them for the entire duration of one song (as long as the song is at least 2 minutes long).
- Try experimenting with different ways of flossing. There are plenty of options to choose from: traditional string floss, a toothpick flosser, or the new popular method, a water flosser. Water flossers come with multiple different heads, so you can experiment with which is best for you. All of these options help remove plaque and eliminate bacteria that are in between the teeth. It’s important to floss at least once a day.
- Don’t neglect your fluoride! You might not realize it, but you could already be doing this step. If you drink tap water, you’re getting a good bit of fluoride every day. Fluoride helps rebuild weakened tooth enamel, reverse early signs of tooth decay, prevent the growth of harmful oral bacteria, slow down the loss of minerals from tooth enamel, and more. Be sure to experiment with different fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to find your favorite brand and flavor. Your new strong teeth will thank you!
- If you find yourself forgetting to take care of your teeth when you wake up and before you go to bed, set an alarm. Set an alarm 15 minutes after you wake up and 15 minutes before bedtime, and don’t let yourself snooze it! Start with flossing, then brush, and end with mouthwash.
- It’s extremely important to keep up with your six-month dental cleanings and exams. Not only are you getting a professional cleaning during these check-ups, but your dentist is removing plaque and also looking for any potential dental issues. But, we do know how easy it is to fall out of the six-month routine. Next time you’re at the dentist ask if you can schedule your following exam and cleaning. Continue this cycle and you’ll be set without having to remember to call your dentist every six months to set up your appointment.
Creating the perfect healthy dental hygiene routine is hard, and sticking to it is even more challenging. Overall, try and find something to motivate you to do these small tasks daily, whether that is trying new products, listening to music, or something else. Remember that you won’t see results immediately, but following these steps every day puts you on the road to success!
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We’re here to help at My Dentist. We can help recommend new products and give you different ideas that will encourage you to keep up with your routine. My Dentist is currently accepting new patients and following necessary protocols and guidelines to keep patients and staff safe. Make an appointment today!