The American Dental Association recommends that patients clean their smiles twice a day, in order to, as much as possible, keep plaque and tartar at bay. However, truly optimizing your daily dental routine is about more than simply brushing morning and night. Keep reading to learn more from our Santa Monica dentist.
Let’s jump in by talking about the three oral hygiene recommendations that patients find most surprising:
Replace your oral hygiene tools
Your toothbrush breaks down, and thus becomes less effective, very quickly with regular use. That is why you need to be replacing your brush with a new one every three months or so, and whenever you have recovered from an illness. All the brushing in the world won’t improve your smile is you’re trying to clean with worn down bristles.
Patience is key
Did you know that the ADA recommends that you brush for a full two minutes every time that you clean your smile? Two minutes is actually a pretty long time! But that’s how long it takes to clean your mouth thoroughly. Set a timer the next time that you brush your teeth, and ensure that you are on the right track.
Ease up
You are brushing with a new brush, for a full two minutes—what’s left? Well, now it’s time to pay attention to how much pressure you are using when you clean your smile. A heavy hand and vigorous scrubbing can actually cause dental damage, which is the last thing we want. Steady, gentle pressure is best when it comes to cleaning both enamel and oral tissues.
So, what do you think—are you ready to take your daily oral hygiene routine to the next level? Remember that our Santa Monica dentists are here to help you in any way that we can. Give us a call to schedule a consultation!