When was the last time you evaluated your oral hygiene routine? The unfortunate answer for most of our patients is that they have never taken a look at their routine and seen how it could be improved. This is something you should do at least every year, but preferably after each of your six month cleaning appointments. Take a look at a few things you should be doing below. If you are falling short, now is the time to improve your care!

Do You Floss Like a Boss?
Floss is essential to a healthy mouth. It removes about 40% of the bacteria from your tooth surfaces, if done correctly. When you floss, the entire surface around the tooth should be covered. Make a C around your tooth with the floss and slowly moving it up and down. Move on to the next tooth and continue!

Do You Rush Your Brush?
Brushing your teeth is not something that should be rushed! The American Dental Association recommends brushing no less than 2 minutes every morning as well as another 2 minutes every evening. These brushing sessions should cover all of the surfaces in your mouth, including your tongue, gums, etc.

Does Your Rinse Make Sense?
Some people use a mouth rinse without ever questioning what purpose it serves. If you want to get rid of bad breath and protect yourself from gingivitis and decay, then use a rinse that will actually get rid of the bacteria that cause the problems! You need an antiseptic or antibacterial rinse.

If you are spending the time every morning and evening to care for your teeth, you should make sure that your time is not being spent in vain. Use that time to its full advantage by improving your oral hygiene with the tips above. Contact us for more tips or to set up your next appointment. We would love to discuss your routine with you in person!