Keep Your Teeth Healthy Between Cleanings

Your at-home dental habits are the bedrock of good oral health. The teeth cleanings and checkups with our dentists are the maintenance that supports your at-home care and catches signs of oral health problems. Below, we look at ways you can keep your teeth in tip-top shape with homecare.

Dental Hygiene Tips That May Surprise You

Perhaps you feel you’ve mastered the basics. Have you considered the following tips?

• Rinse first, then brush, after eating: Tooth enamel is actually quite sensitive in the first 30 minutes after eating. That’s because acid is produced naturally as you eat. This acid softens enamel, leaving it more vulnerable to decay processes and more vulnerable to the abrasion of toothbrush bristles. Rinse with plain water after eating to get food debris off your teeth. Then brush at least 30 minutes later, once the enamel has re-mineralized.
• Use feather-light pressure when you brush: Some people believe you must be forceful when brushing your teeth; this is not so! Soft pressure across the upper and lower teeth for a total of two minutes is all that is needed to disrupt the sticky film of plaque that is constantly forming on teeth.
• Gum can do a good job, in a pinch: Sometimes you don’t have a toothbrush handy after a meal. Sugarless gum with the ADA stamp of approval can help to prevent tooth decay between brushings. As you chew gum, your salivary glands produce saliva, which helps to carry food debris and sugars away from your teeth enamel. Food debris will also stick to the gum itself, instead of your teeth.

And don’t forget the essentials: Brush your teeth at least twice a day, for two minutes each session. Flossing once every day is also necessary. Flossing disrupts the plaque in between your teeth, where cavities also form.

Individualized Answers to Achieving Your Best Oral Health

Our experienced cosmetic and general dentists in Rochester, NY, are 100 percent committed to helping each patient achieve a healthy, beautiful smile. For us, great dental health and beautiful smile aesthetics go hand-in-hand. If you have any questions about dental care, please call the practice of Dr. Meredith Pogal and Dr. Paul Sussman at 585-227-4390.