Since 2018, the dental industry in the United States has been growing by about 1% each year. These days, there is enough demand for dental services in the United States to generate more than $172 billion every year. The dental industry also employs more than 1.1 million people to help us take care of our teeth.
These numbers are a strong testament to the incredible value that we get out of modern dentistry. However, even the most advanced dentistry cannot make up for poor oral hygiene at home.
Putting together the best oral hygiene routine for you will make sure that you have easy dental visits and help you prevent cavities and other oral health problems. However, not everyone is sure about what they should focus on for their own oral hygiene routine.
Read on to learn all about the top steps to take to design your own ideal oral hygiene routine!
Ask for Oral Hygiene Routine Tips
Many of the principles of oral hygiene are universal. However, it is also important to take note of how each person’s mouth is unique. Some people might need to focus more on some aspects of oral hygiene, while there might be others that are of primary importance for you.
The best way to figure out what you need to emphasize in your oral hygiene routine is to speak with your dentist. After all, no one else has the combination of dental expertise and familiarity with your oral health.
Your dentist can also provide you with a wealth of knowledge about oral hygiene tools and techniques.
Of course, one of the most important aspects of your oral hygiene routine should be regular visits to your dentist. Many problems with oral health start out small. As long as your dentist finds them while they are still small, they do not have to present any significant challenges to your oral health.
On the other hand, if you wait too long between visits, you might be shocked by what your dentist tells you when you do visit them next. Do not make the mistake of relying only on the advanced dental care techniques that modern technology and training have created. Although modern dentistry can cure a lot, it is always more efficient to focus on prevention instead.
Even if you develop oral health problems that can be taken care of by a skilled dentist, you might end up paying a lot more money for them than if you focused on more regular visits to the dentist.
Brush for Top Dental Hygiene
Of course, the most important thing most people can do for their oral hygiene routine is focus on regular brushing. In general, you will want to brush about twice each day.
However, the faster you can remove food from your teeth after eating, the less time it will have to do any damage to your teeth. If possible, it can help to brush right after you finish eating the last food you will have in the day.
In most cases, you will want to use fluoride toothpaste when you brush. Fluoride has the incredible ability to harden the enamel that sits on the surface of our teeth. That can go a long way to diminish the chance that you develop cavities.
If you do decide to use another kind of toothpaste, make sure to consult with your dentist about it. There is a good chance that they will know about other kinds of toothpaste that can help you enjoy top oral health.
You might also want to take the time to review some video tutorials on brushing. Most people have been brushing since they were children, so they assume that they are doing it correctly. However, because we learn to brush our teeth when we are children, we sometimes make mistakes that carry over into adulthood.
In particular, some people brush in a rough way that can do damage to the gums or even to the teeth if they are not careful.
Floss for Healthy Gums
Some people think of flossing as an extra that you do on top of brushing. However, the truth is that flossing provides certain benefits that brushing does not.
Flossing is a powerful way to take care of your gums as well as your teeth. There are also parts of your teeth that your brushing cannot reach. Without regular flossing, there is a higher chance that you will develop cavities in these areas.
Eat to Cultivate Oral Health
The less sugar and carbonated drinks you ingest, the easier it will be to cultivate excellent oral health. If you do eat or drink these things, make sure to pay extra attention to keeping these oral hygiene habits.
Decide if You Will Pursue White Teeth
You can enjoy excellent oral health without necessarily also having white teeth. If you do want to maintain white teeth, you will want to add some extra steps to your oral hygiene routine.
For one thing, you can ask your dentist for professional whitening treatments. On the other hand, you can also use white strips or tooth-whitening toothpaste at home to help keep your teeth looking lighter.
Enjoy the Best Oral Hygiene Routine for You
There may be several steps to developing the best oral hygiene routine for you. However, in the long run, devoting yourself to oral hygiene today will pay off for many years and even decades into the future. Consider speaking with your dentist as soon as possible about how you can take your oral hygiene to the next level.
To learn more about the latest information in oral health, business, and more, take a look at our other articles!