Avoid These 3 Common Dental Care Mistakes
If you’re not careful, you can make some costly oral hygiene mistakes even when you’re trying to do your very best. Each day in St. Augustine, dentists and dental hygienists are finding that the patients with the best intentions are making these easily-correctable mistakes:
Brushing Too Soon
Brushing after each meal is important for maintaining a clean and healthy mouth. However, if you brush too soon after a meal, you might actually be destroying the outermost layer of your enamel.
Immediately after meals, your enamel may be in a weakened state due to the acidity of the food or the bacteria. Instead of jumping right in with the toothbrush, try to wait at least 30 minutes for the acids to subside or you’ll risk damaging the surface of the teeth.
Choosing the Wrong Tools
If you are using the wrong toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, or mouthrinse then your oral hygiene efforts might be ineffective or uncomfortable. Look for small brush heads, soft bristles, fluoride, and antimicrobials. When in doubt, consider using an electric toothbrush. Many of today’s leading power toothbrushes are designed to clean and polish the teeth while also providing much-needed stimulation for the gums.
Being Too Rough
If giving your teeth a ‘good scrubbing’ is your idea of proper oral hygiene, think again. Great oral hygiene is about being thorough but gentle. The gum tissue is soft and delicate, and plaque is soft as well. Scrubbing aggressively or sawing into the gums with the floss will cause long-term damage while not necessarily getting your teeth any cleaner. You’ll risk abrading the enamel and tearing away the gum tissue.
Make an effort to take your time (at least 2 minutes!) and use light pressure with the brush and floss.
If you’re giving it all you’ve got and you’re still not getting a good report at your dental checkups, then you could be committing these common oral hygiene errors. In St. Augustine, make an appointment with the dentist today for help and advice on improving your homecare routine.