How to Maintain Your Oral Health

How does your current at-home dental care routine measure up? 

Good oral hygiene is crucial if you want to maintain a healthy smile throughout your life. Along with keeping up with biannual checkups with our Elkhart, IN, family dentist Dr. Sangyoung Lee, your at-home routine also plays an important role. Here are some of the best practices for how you can keep your smile healthy:

Brushing 

We all know that brushing is a habit that everyone must adopt and perform at least twice a day if they want to prevent plaque from accumulating. Of course, you may be surprised to discover that you have some bad brushing habits. Here are some tips for how to improve your brushing routine:

• Don’t be too aggressive. You don’t need to press hard on your teeth to get them clean. If you have a heavy hand when brushing then an electric toothbrush may be a better option for you, as it’s designed to apply just the right amount of pressure on its own.
• Know when to part ways with your toothbrush. Once the bristles start to break or splay out it’s a surefire sign that you need to replace your toothbrush (or the head, if you have an electric toothbrush). Don’t wait too long, as a worn toothbrush can wear away tooth enamel.
• Are you brushing long enough? While some toothbrushes have built-in timers that turn off once your two minutes are up, a manual toothbrush and some disposal electric toothbrushes do not. Since you need to be brushing for a minimum of two minutes each time it’s important that you set a timer before you start.

Flossing 

Are you flossing every day? If you aren’t then it’s time you started. While it may take a little getting used to it’s actually quite easy once you start. Of course, if you know that you are not going to floss your teeth because you loathe traditional floss, there are a ton of alternatives including single-use floss picks and even oral irrigators that can do the same job but make flossing a little easier and perhaps even (gasp!) enjoyable.

Seeing Your Dentist 

Even the healthiest smiles can benefit from visiting a dentist for regular care. Our Elkhart, IN, dentist provides comprehensive family dentistry, which means that everyone can get the care they need right here in our office. Make sure that every member of your family is visiting the dentist twice a year for checkups and professional cleanings.

Our family dentist is concerned for the health and well-being of all families living Elkhart, IN, especially during the pandemic; therefore, we are postponing any elective procedures and treatments (e.g. routine checkups; x-rays and cosmetic dentistry) until it is safe to do so. Of course, if you have questions or are dealing with a dental emergency please give Elkhart Dental Center a call at (574) 522-0156. We hope to see you soon!