Maintaining Optimal Dental Care: At-Home Oral Hygiene and Professional Checkups

Staying on top of your oral health helps avoid issues that can negatively affect not just your appearance but also your self-confidence. A combination of at-home oral hygiene and professional dental checkups keeps your mouth healthy. You can avoid dental cavities, toothaches, tooth decay, and gum disease when you take family dental care in Aurora, IL, seriously.

At-Home Preventative Dental Care

Optimal dental care does not only occur at your dentist’s office. Indeed, at-home oral hygiene is essential for keeping a healthy mouth. Below are the steps you should take:

Brush your teeth two times a day. You must brush your teeth thoroughly twice every day for two minutes to effectively get rid of plaque and food debris. Do it after breakfast and after dinner. When brushing your teeth, consider using fluoride toothpaste to attract minerals that keep your teeth stronger.
Floss your teeth once a day. Flossing your teeth can help get rid of food particles stuck between your teeth. When not removed, these particles can cause plaque and tartar building, which puts you at risk of dental cavities and decay. Floss your teeth once every day to keep your mouth healthy.
Maintain a diet that is healthy for your teeth. As much as possible, avoid consuming sugary foods and beverages. Instead, consume more fresh veggies and fruits, healthy dairy, whole grains, and lean meat.
Change your lifestyle. Some lifestyle changes, such as quitting tobacco use and minimizing alcohol consumption, can help you maintain good oral health. Your dentist can provide you with more information following your dental appointment.

Importance of Regular Dental Cleaning

Going to your dentist’s office every six months for professional teeth cleaning is essential for catching oral health problems early on. No matter how you take care of your teeth, you still have to see your dentist twice a year. Brushing and flossing may not completely eliminate dental plaque from your mouth. Professional cleaning is performed thoroughly by a dentist, protecting you against cavities and decay.

By getting regular dental checkups, you get peace of mind knowing you do not have hidden oral health problems. Also, your visit will allow you to discuss your oral health with a dentist who can provide you with more information on what to do to protect and improve your oral health. Your dentist will thoroughly examine your mouth, checking for issues at their earliest stages. If you get diagnosed with an oral health problem, your dentist will address it immediately with appropriate treatment.