How To Build A Strong Dental Hygiene Routine?

Dental Hygiene Routine

Building and maintaining a strong dental hygiene routine can often feel easier said than done. But a large number of chronic health conditions are linked to gum disease and tooth plaque. As a result, taking good care of your teeth and building a strong dental hygiene routine should be considered a foundational practice for a long and healthy life.

So how do you go about developing a strong dental hygiene routine that not only works with your personal schedule but also effectively supports the health of your teeth over the foreseeable future? As you may expect, building a strong dental hygiene routine must also be accompanied by some minor lifestyle changes, just to further support daily dental care activities between regularly scheduled dental appointments with your friendly local Epping dentist at Dentaservice!

To help you develop your own effective dental healthcare routine, Dr Ghassan Abu-Shaban will be outlining some great practices to help care for and protect your teeth on a daily basis below. We’ll be looking at these major factors in how to build a strong dental hygiene routine, including: 

Read on to unearth the best methods for building and maintaining a strong dental hygiene routine that you can use to care for your teeth over the long term.

Brush your teeth regularly (and properly!)

Brushing your teeth at least twice a day is recommended by dentists for reducing the risks of plaque buildup and keeping germs and bacteria to a minimum. If you’re failing to brush your teeth both in the morning as well as in the evening before bed, then there’s ample opportunity for plaque to form on your teeth, increasing your risks of experiencing dental decay.

On top of brushing your teeth regularly, however, it’s also essential that you use proper brushing techniques. You should aim to brush your teeth for two to three minutes, and by moving your brush in a circular motion in order to effectively remove plaque before it has a chance to harden into tartar (or ‘dental calculus’). Brushing or cleaning your tongue thoroughly is also very important, as it can reduce plaque buildup as well as help freshen your breath, keeping both gingivitis and halitosis firmly at bay. 

You should also be brushing your teeth softly and without excess force. Brushing your teeth too hard can result in ‘toothbrush abrasion’, which can, in turn, lead to sensitive teeth and in some cases even receding gums.

Dental Hygiene Routine

Make flossing part of your daily dental hygiene routine

To be a stereotypical dentist for a moment, you cannot overestimate the importance of flossing regularly. Contrary to popular belief, flossing isn’t just a fantastic method for removing plaque or little pieces of food that get stuck between your teeth. The act of flossing is also superb for stimulating the gums and minimising risks of tooth discolouration, which is most often caused by plaque building up below the gumline. 

And with the sheer number of ready-to-use dental flosser options available today, you should easily be able to find the perfect dental floss solution to suit your needs. For instance, if you’re not a fan of unspooling dental floss by hand, dental picks could be a great addition to your bathroom cabinet. And for those that are worried about pain during flossing, a gentler water pick could be a great investment for you. 

F.B.M. – Floss, brush, and mouthwash!

For those looking to keep their teeth in excellent health, using mouthwash regularly should also be a quintessential component of your dental hygiene routine. As mouthwash can help wash out any traces of germs, bacteria, or plaque remnants, it can be a great final step of your daily teeth brushing and flossing routine. 

Most dentists recommend flossing first to pull plaque and food residue nestled between your teeth, then brushing with fluoride toothpaste, and then following up with mouthwash for a final, sweeping clean. This practice is referred to as the F.B.M. (or floss, brush, mouthwash) method, and is a highly effective dental cleaning technique that you should feel encouraged to practice every day. 

Reduce your intake of sugary and acidic foods

Of course, it’s not enough to just maintain a dental hygiene routine without considering cutting down on your sugar intake, as sugar is one of the most notorious root causes of dental health concerns. Did you know that some of the most common dental issues observed in children can be directly linked to their consumption of sugary and high-acidity foods? Children who don’t develop dental hygiene habits at an early age also naturally have a higher risk of developing gingivitis and other dental health concerns later in life.

That’s why introducing your children to toothbrushing and tooth care is one of the most important responsibilities that accompany early parenthood. You can help better contextualise your children’s understanding of the importance of dental hygiene by educating them on what sugary and high-acidic foods can do to your teeth and tooth enamel. 

If your child is able to understand the importance of protecting their adult teeth, they will likely be more motivated to not only maintain a strong dental hygiene routine but to also further support that routine by cutting down on sugar and acidic foods. Remember that good dental health begins with strong foundational knowledge. 

See your dentist regularly for teeth cleanings and check-ups

So you’ve been maintaining the FBM method, as well as reducing your sugar intake, drinking plenty of water, and curbing other bad dental habits like teeth-grinding. But are your teeth as healthy as they can be? 

Even if your teeth do feel sparkling clean every single day with your dental hygiene routine, it’s important to keep in mind that not all dental health issues are readily identifiable or even perceptible. The number of patients we’ve seen come in with cavities they weren’t even aware they had is a testament to that. 

This is exactly why booking dental check-ups are paramount to keeping your teeth healthy over the long term. With regular teeth cleanings, general check-ups, dental fillings and dental bridge assessments, you’ll receive the added benefit of knowing that any potential dental health concerns are identified nicely and early by your dentist. Early diagnosis of any dental health concerns also drastically reduces the risk of having to undergo tooth extractions and similar dental procedures later in life.

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All things considered, consistency is key to ensuring that both your dental health and hygiene stay exceptional throughout your life, from losing your first tooth as a child to securing crowns and other dental implants as an adult. So long as you’re able to develop a dental hygiene routine that you can feasibly maintain over years and seamlessly work into your daily habits and schedule, you should find that keeping your teeth healthy will be a far less daunting endeavour than you thought it to be.

Support your own dental hygiene routine by scheduling an appointment for a teeth cleaning and dental check-up at Dentaservice. Contact us via email at info@dentaservice.com.au or by calling (03) 9401 2120 to organise your next dental appointment today!