Your Perfect Oral Care Routine From Home

Home oral care covers not only brushing your teeth daily but other specific daily oral hygiene practices that protect your teeth and gum.

Although 37.5% of Canadians brush their teeth daily, their oral care might still be inadequate.

What are the daily oral care activities that protect your oral health?

This article will highlight daily oral care practices and how to perform them to improve your oral health from home.

Benefits of home oral care

Proper oral care at home protects your teeth by preventing the formation of plaques that harbor bacteria organisms that cause gum disease and tooth decay.

Home oral care gradually slows the production of plaques which your dentists remove during dental office care. Therefore, when you cultivate a good oral hygiene habit, it saves you time during your dental appointments and decreases your frequency of dental check-ups annually.

Your oral health status is correlated to your daily oral care practices.

5 Ways to Promote Adequate Home Oral Care

· Brush your teeth with the right toothbrush: You have heard that you must brush your teeth twice daily but is that enough to protect your teeth?

In addition to brushing your teeth and tongue every morning and evening, brush after eating snacks and sugary foods. These food particles, especially sugar, combine with plaques to form acids that erode the tooth which results in tooth decay. To protect your teeth and gum, brush your teeth properly and choose a toothbrush that has a suitable size and shape to enable you to brush your back teeth.

American Dental Association recommends the use of a toothbrush with soft bristles because hard bristles cause irreversible damage to the tooth enamel and gum which leads to tooth sensitivity and erosion of the gum respectively. To remove plaques from your teeth while brushing, brush up, down, and front of each tooth using soft circular motions.

· Choose an appropriate toothpaste: Brush your teeth with a fluoride-based toothpaste to prevent tooth decay. A study on personal oral hygiene revealed that there was a direct association between fluoride and tooth decay cases in study participants who didn’t use fluoride products in their daily oral hygiene practices.

Fluoride has antibacterial properties that protect the teeth of children and adults from bacteria responsible for dental caries. Due to the fluctuation of fluoride levels in drinking water, using fluoride-based toothpaste is recommended

· Use a mouth wash with antimicrobial ingredients: A mouthwash with antimicrobial properties provides an extra protective barrier against bacteria invasion of your teeth. Mouthwashes that contain chlorhexidine or fluoride defend your teeth against tooth decay. Rinse your mouth after eating with these antibacterial mouthwashes to remove tiny plaques and food particles. In addition, mouthwashes with essential oils prevent gingivitis (gum disease), according to a study.

Young children and elderly people who can’t effectively brush their teeth will benefit from antibacterial mouthwashes to prevent the accumulation of plaques, tooth decay, and gum disease.

· Floss your teeth daily: Flossing eliminates plaques that harbor bacteria in your tooth surfaces where your toothbrush may not reach.

Choosing dental floss may be overwhelming because of the various types of dental flosses available. Here are key factors to consider:

I. Size of your teeth gap: If your teeth gap is large, you will benefit from dental tape floss. if they are small, waxed floss is preferable.

II. Presence of teeth braces: Use a spongy floss if you wear a teeth brace.

III. Age: Young children and seniors would benefit from an electric floss to aid if they struggle with flossing techniques.

IV. Cleanliness: Buy disposable flosses if you don’t want to clean a floss after usage or don’t like to re-use a dental floss.

Flossing and brushing your teeth daily eliminate plaques and reduces your chances of developing dental caries and gum disease.

How to create a home oral hygiene routine

The practice of daily oral care may be tough, especially for children without the right incentives and motivation. Here are some strategies that promote good oral care habits in children:

I. Select a suitable time daily for the entire family to floss and brush their teeth.

II. Buy toothpaste with appealing tastes for children and buy toy-like toothbrushes for them.

III. Encourage each family member with gifts. For instance, buy gifts on a weekly basis for family members who kept their oral care routine for the week.

IV. Tell your children engaging stories to explain the adverse consequences of eating sugary snacks and drinks frequently.

Conclusion

Proper home oral care decreases the formation of plaques and the occurrence of tooth decay and gum diseases in individuals who are consistent with their home oral care practices.

Brush and floss your teeth daily and use an antibacterial mouthwash to rinse your mouth.

Develop and follow a routine home oral care practice to promote good oral health in your family.