When it comes to your daily oral health regimen, you probably have brushing, flossing, and rinsing down. However, there are other oral health habits that you should be practicing on a routine basis as well. To ensure that you have a bright, white, healthy smile that lasts for a while, here are three things that will help to enhance your overall oral health regimen.
Tip #1: Avoid Snacking Late at Night
Once you brush your teeth each night, you should never eat or drink anything (other than water). Otherwise, bacteria can thrive on the food particles that are left behind overnight. If you enjoy snacking late at night, you may find that you will eventually develop cavities. So, make sure that you wait until you are about to go to bed before you brush and floss your teeth to avoid the possibility of any of these aforementioned issues with your oral health at nighttime.
Tip #2: Use a Tongue Scraper on a Daily Basis
After brushing and flossing, there is still a possibility that there are harmful bacteria lingering in your mouth. But where you ask? On your tongue! These harmful bacteria can result in tooth decay, bad breath, and a variety of other oral health-related problems. For the best possible dental hygiene, add tongue scraping as part of your daily oral health regimen. You may look for a toothbrush with a built-in tongue scraper to make things easier on you. Alternatively, you can purchase a separate tool designed specifically for scraping your tongue.
Tip #3: Replace Your Toothbrush Every Three Months
As the bristles of your toothbrush wear down, they aren't as effective as removing food particles and plaque from your teeth. Therefore, to ensure that your toothbrush is able to do its job properly, replace it every three months—at minimum. If you come down with a serious illness, it is a good idea to go ahead and replace your toothbrush as disease-causing bacteria could linger on the bristles of your toothbrush—and you don't want to put those bacteria back in your mouth after you get well!
These three tips will help improve your overall oral care regimen. However, you also need to make sure that you are visiting your family dentist regularly (every six months). If you have not been to the dentist in the past six months, it is time to make an appointment. Contact your family dentist to schedule an appointment today.
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