Professional dental cleanings are essential in maintaining clean, healthy teeth. Most experts recommend that you have professional cleanings performed every 6 months to maintain a beautiful smile. However, it is similarly important to ensure that you continue to keep your teeth clean between these professional cleanings. There are several steps that you can take to help keep your teeth clean throughout the year. Here are some of our top tips for keeping your teeth clean between professional cleanings.
Reduce Sugar Consumption
The more sugar you eat, the more fuel bacteria will have to accumulate and grow. By taking the steps to reduce your sugar consumption, you can often keep your teeth much cleaner. Make an extra effort to stop drinking soda, as soda can cause a substantial amount of damage to your teeth. It is also important to be aware of how certain foods will impact the health of your teeth. For example, hard candies will cause extended damage to your teeth, because the candy will be in your mouth for the extended period of time.
Stop Smoking
Smoking is another habit that can cause serious harm to your teeth. When you smoke on a regular basis, you can cause yellowing and damage to your smile. In addition, smoking dries out your mouth which creates an environment where bacteria thrive. By quitting smoking, you can minimize the extent of damage that impacts your smile.
Brush and Floss Daily
Your oral hygiene routine is absolutely essential when it comes to the health of your teeth. When you are trying to keep your teeth clean between your professional cleanings, it is critical to ensure that you use the ideal routine to remove plaque, food particles, and bacteria from the surface of your teeth. Brush at least twice every day for two minutes at a time. You also need to floss every single day. You may want to consider adding mouthwash to your routine to help strengthen your teeth and flush out harmful particles.
Chew Gum
Regularly chewing gum can help to protect your teeth. When you chew gum, you will stimulate saliva, which can flush out harmful particles that can otherwise remain on the teeth. Ensure that you chew sugar-free gum to prevent the sugar from exacerbating the damage to your smile.
Eat “Detergent” Foods
While there are many foods that can detract from the health of your teeth, there are some foods that can actually benefit your smile. Detergent foods are essential foods that are firm and crisp, without a substantial amount of added sugar. The crisp quality of apples, for example, helps to clear away plaque and food particles as you chew them. Other detergent foods include items like celery, raw carrots, and other similar foods.
At Avenues Family Dentistry, we want you to maintain the cleanest, healthiest smile possible. We offer professional cleaning services, but it will largely be your responsibility to keep your teeth clean between professional cleanings. These tips can often help you to accomplish exactly that. For more information about how to keep your teeth clean between professional cleanings, contact us at Avenues Family Dentistry today!