Protect Your Smile with Your Downey Dentists’ Help
If you diligently brush and floss your teeth at least twice a day and take pride in caring for your smile, then developing tooth decay, gum disease, chronic bad breath, or other oral health issues can be especially frustrating. Most dental issues develop silently and don’t exhibit obvious symptoms until they’re well-situated in your oral tissues and have already caused damage. A part of the tragedy of dental diseases is that they can occur even when you believe that you’re practicing excellent oral hygiene. Luckily, a few tips from our Downey dentists can help you improve your dental hygiene routine and reduce the risk of destructive dental issues from forming.
The Correct Way to Brush Your Teeth
• Brush gently—When your teeth are extra grimy, you may feel tempted to put a little extra effort into scrubbing them clean. By brushing your teeth too harshly, you might risk stripping away your tooth enamel as well as the plaque and food debris on its surface. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush with the American Dental Association (ADA) seal of approval on its packaging, and use soft, gentle strokes to brush away plaque and debris.
• Use fluoride toothpaste—Good dental hygiene focuses largely on maintaining your teeth’s natural defenses; mainly, the enamel that protects them. Made entirely of mineral crystals, enamel is subject to erosion by bacteria-produced acid. To keep enamel strong and whole, the mineral fluoride bonds to enamel’s surface and fortifies it against erosion. It’s also found in most major toothpaste brands.
• Floss—Though slightly more time-consuming than brushing your teeth, flossing is equally as important (sometimes more so). Only dental floss can reach the crevices between your teeth and remove debris and bacterial dental plaque from the hard-to-reach spaces. If plaque is left alone long enough, then brushing your teeth may not effectively remove it.
Caring for Teeth Away from the Sink
Your home dental hygiene is vital, but successful dental disease prevention requires routine professional care and maintenance. Attend a dental checkup and cleaning at least once every six months to thoroughly clean traces of plaque and tartar (calcified, or hardened, plaque) from your teeth and gums. Your examination will also allow us to thoroughly inspect your mouth for early signs of disease and prescribe an appropriate treatment to intervene before extensive damage is caused.
About Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry:
Dr. Hadis Reyhani, Dr. Ben Reyhani, and Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh provide a wealth of combined experience, along with innovative technology and personalized care, to help improve our patients’ dental health and function and help them enjoy smiling again. To schedule a consultation, call Downey Family Cosmetic Dentistry today at (562) 472-2433.
