Preventative Care - Dental Exams, Tooth Brushing & Oral Health Techniques
Maintaining good dental health
- Examinations/Cleaning: Schedule routine exam/cleaning at least once per year (Most insurance companies cover two exams/cleanings per year. Tartar typically returns within 90-120 days of professional cleaning regardless of the most effective personal care regiments.
- Toothbrush: Soft, Medium, or Hard: Soft….Always soft.
- Brushing Techniques—Speak to your doctor about what brushing technique is best for YOU. The position of teeth, condition of teeth, and condition of gums all effect how your should brush.
- How long should I brush? dentists generally recommend brushing 3-4 minutes, the length of an average song. Using an egg timer is another way to measure your brushing time. Patients generally think they're brushing longer, but most spend less than a minute brushing. To make sure you're doing a thorough job and not missing any spots, patients are advised to brush the full 3-4 minutes twice a day instead of brushing quickly five or more times through the day.
- Brush After Every Meal?: YES…and here’s why. Much of what we eat is broken down into sugars. Sugars break down into acids that can and do damage teeth. So brushing after meals is ALWAYS a healthy initiative. If there is no toothbrush handy, consider rinsing with tap water. Any and all elimination of residual food is essential to good dental care.
