Brushing Teeth Right Can Save Your Life

The Bad News

Although most people are aware of the necessity of proper daily tooth brushing and flossing, few people realize that clean teeth and healthy gums can protect against a wide variety of serious health problems! When you don't brush and floss effectively or frequently enough, your mouth's normal population of bacteria multiplies on your teeth and gums, depositing a sticky 'plaque' substance. These colonies of germs then cause a series of destructive changes that damage your teeth, gums, and jawbone. In addition to getting cavities, gum disease, pain and infection, the bacterial invasion enters your blood stream and increases your risk for a whole host of systemic problems, including heart disease, stroke, respiratory illness, as well as diabetes and pregnancy complications.

The Good News

But it's not all bad news. After all, it's your mouth. You can control your oral health by simply establishing a solid habit of brushing twice daily with a soft toothbrush using the proper technique and a quality fluoride toothpaste, as well as flossing carefully twice daily. These days there are a host of advanced toothpastes, rinses and electric toothbrushes that can help you do a much more thorough job than was possible in the past. The most effective thing you can do is to call the office for an evaluation of your condition and get some advice as to which of the many new products would benefit you most. If we don’t have them here in the office for you, we can help you obtain them.

Flossing

While your toothbrush will do an excellent job of cleaning the tops and sides of your teeth, there are plenty of places your toothbrush just can’t reach. That’s why flossing should be an essential part of any homecare regimen. Spending just an extra minute or two flossing each day will help you remove leftover particles of food from between your teeth and control the accumulation of harmful bacteria, plaque, and tartar. For best results, you should floss at least once a day, preferably right before bedtime.