Your Family Dentist Wants You To Make These Small Changes At Home

Posted on: 5 February 2021

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Your family dentist has one goal for your family: to help all of you achieve healthier, brighter smiles. In order to meet that goal, everyone in your family has to do their part to keep their teeth healthy at home. Make sure everyone in your family sees a family dentist regularly for checkups and cleanings, and make these small changes at home for the betterment of everyone's oral health.

Start using a different toothbrush and toothpaste

You might be using the wrong toothbrush at home, so switching to one your dentist recommends will make your dental appointments better. If you're using a medium or hard-bristled toothbrush, you might want to consider switching to a softer one. If you use a medium or hard toothbrush, you risk damaging your teeth and gums by being too abrasive with your technique.

The same can be said for the toothpaste you use. An abrasive toothpaste — like the ones used to whiten teeth — can scratch and wear tooth enamel. Your family dentist may recommend an electric or soft-bristled toothbrush for you to use at home and can recommend toothpaste to use as well.

Start flossing every day

Most people don't floss, and those that do, likely don't do so every day. You only need to floss once a day to help protect your teeth and gums, and your family dentist only cares that you do it. Flossing can help prevent cavities and will be effective at keeping gum disease at bay.

What's the best dental floss to use? Whatever kind will keep you motivated to get flossing done. If you have troubles with floss getting stuck between your teeth, consider a wax-coated floss for better control. If you hate flossing or can't get the results you want, consider a water pick. This is a type of flossing that uses high-pressure streams of water to gently remove the bacteria and debris between your teeth, with no string floss required.

Start brushing your tongue

Your tongue should be part of your oral hygiene at home. Brushing your tongue will improve your breath and can even help remove a lot of that bacteria that causes cavities.

To brush your tongue, simply stick your tongue out and gently brush it with your toothbrush as part of your teeth brushing routine. A quick rinse with water afterward will help remove any debris that is left over. Your family dentist will see the results of your oral health changes at your next dental appointment.