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There is nothing more unpleasant than being around someone whose oral hygiene is non-existent; bad breath, a white tongue, discoloration, and tartar build-up on the teeth can be very disconcerting. Proper care of your teeth and mouth isn’t only important for your physical appearance and how you present yourself to people, it is essential for good health and general well-being. You can adopt many methods to maintain good oral hygiene, including regular visits to a reputable dentist to attend to your needs, and emergency dental care if necessary. We usually learn how to properly care for our teeth at a young age, either from our parents, teachers, our dentists, or even commercials on TV. However, it seems as though sometimes the lessons may wash off with age, considering the alarming number of adults experiencing dental health problems due to a lack of good oral hygiene. In this article, we will discuss the three heroes of oral hygiene: brushing, flossing, and regular visits to the dentist. Brushing Daily consumption of food and drinks, together with digestive enzymes, produce plaque and bacteria that form on your teeth, below the gumline, and on the tongue. Without proper brushing, you can experience diseases that include gingivitis, toothache, cavities, and periodontal diseases, which may warrant emergency dental care in their severity. The correct way to brush your teeth is as follows: Using fluoride toothpaste, brush the upper and lower outer surfaces of your teeth, twice a day, going tooth by tooth. Brush below the gumline by tilting your toothbrush at 45oC in a back-and-forth motion without applying excessive force. Still tilting your toothbrush at 45oC, brush the inner upper and lower parts of the tooth in a back-and-forth motion. Clean the chewing surface to get rid of the food trapped there. In addition, brush your tongue for fresher breath. Flossing The bristles of your toothbrush cannot penetrate between your teeth; hence, after brushing and rinsing, you should also floss between those hard-to-reach places. Flossing removes plaque and prevents gingivitis. If not removed, it can harden to form tartar and, in its severity, tartar may cause toothache problems, loose teeth, and tooth loss requiring emergency dental care. You can follow these tips: Wrap a piece of floss around the middle fingers of both hands and then grip it between your thumbs and index fingers. Gently floss between your teeth below the gum line, without applying excessive force that can harm your gums. Curve your floss as you move from tooth to tooth to clean on the sides. You can choose from a variety of floss, depending on your needs. There is water floss that sprays water in between your teeth, or tiny brushes, and you can also even get a floss holder if you can’t grip the string properly. Regular visits to the dentist Routine check-ups and professional cleaning with a reputable dentist prevents a lot of oral diseases mentioned and helps identify and mitigate issues early on. In addition, if you are at high risk of tooth decay and gum disease because of other medical conditions, your dentist will provide methods for better dental care. The recommendation is to visit a dentist once every six months. This is why you should visit a dentist as recommended: Professional cleaning: this involves the removal of built-up tartar and plaque below the gumline to prevent gingivitis, bad breath, cavities, and many other things that could need emergency dental care if left untreated. Dental examination: examination of all parts contributing to oral health to check their conditions and look for early signs of disease. X-rays: Further examination that can identify unnoticeable problems such as abscesses, cysts, damaged jawbones, etc. To maintain good oral hygiene for better health, brushing and flossing are essential. In addition, a visit with a reputable dentist takes dental care to a whole new level with professional cleaning, dental examination, and x-rays. Therefore, the importance of developing a good relationship with an oral health practitioner cannot be stated enough; your doctor becomes your ally in good times and bad, particularly when you need emergency dental care. Author Plate Ellen Smythe is a Practice Manager at Smile Arts of NY, a dental office that provides the best care and advanced modern cosmetic dental procedures, including teeth whitening, porcelain crowns, veneers, Invisalign, dental implants and emergency treatments. If you need emergency dental care, NYC-based Smile Arts can help for that as well. We have been helping New York City residents achieve the look and care they’ve always wanted with their state-of-the-art, affordable dental services since 2010.
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