Worried that your oral routine just isn’t up to par? Challenge what you think you know about caring for your smile.
You’ve been caring for your smile for a while now so you may not really think much about your oral routine, but if one of our Naperville, 
IL, dentists, Dr. Rani Seeth, Dr. Rachel George and Dr. Tabasam Akbar, htold you that you have more plaque or tartar buildup than usual, then you may be wondering what you can do to improve your at-home care. Discover these simple but helpful techniques to make sure you are brushing and flossing effectively.
Flossing
Flossing is a crucial part of an oral care routine. Not flossing every day means that you may face more plaque and tartar buildup, particularly between teeth. Why? Because your toothbrush won’t be able to get in between teeth as well as floss can. When you don’t floss you miss about one-third of dental surfaces (Yuck!). With plaque being the leading cause of gum disease, it’s important that you floss at least once a day, preferably before brushing, prior to bedtime.
It only takes two to three days before plaque hardens into tartar, which cannot be removed unless your Naperville general dentist does so with special instruments. When you floss, make sure that you use a generous amount of floss. After all, you want to use a different clean section of floss for each space between teeth.
Wrap the floss around the base of the tooth and gently move it back and forth. Slowly and carefully move the floss out of the space between teeth. Particularly, in the beginning, you may find that your gums bleed, but bleeding usually will go away after a couple days as long as you consistently floss; however, if you notice that bleeding continues for a while then it’s time to talk to our Naperville, IL, family dentists.
Brushing
Brushing is the one part of oral care that is the most obvious, yet not everyone brushes as effectively as they should. How often do you brush your teeth? How long do you brush each? These are important questions to pose to yourself to determine whether you are brushing properly. You should be brushing at least twice a day (ideally, after every meal) and for a minimum of 2 minutes each time. If you aren’t doing this, then it’s time you made these simple changes. The type of toothbrush you use is up to you. Whatever is easier to use will most likely be the best choice for keeping your smile clean.
Dental Pointe in Naperville, IL, is always here to make sure that you get the best care possible for your smile. Whether you need to schedule your six-month cleaning or you want to talk to us about cosmetic dentistry, give us a call anytime!