The Serious Nature of Dental Hygiene

Maintaining good dental hygiene is essential for preserving your smile. And your doctors here at Family Dentistry strongly recommend that you and your family actively engage in a consistent dental hygiene routine at home. We also advise you to visit us for your regularly scheduled dental cleanings and exams.

Brush your teeth after each meal or at least twice a day, every single day, for at least two minutes per brushing session. We recommend using a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that includes fluoride. It’s equally vital that you floss once daily, preferably at nighttime before you go to bed.

Some people mistakenly believe that merely brushing is sufficient for cleaning teeth, but even if you’re an expert tooth-brusher, you’ll fail to clean about 40 percent of the surface area of your teeth if you fail to floss!

Whenever you’re feeling too tired or not motivated to floss, just remember that your teeth are one of the only parts of your body that can’t heal themselves: A cavity is a permanently and irreversibly damaged area on the surface of your tooth that is decayed. So, please brush and floss.

Perhaps the most challenging tip for good oral hygiene is ensuring that you eat a balanced diet. You can help to prevent tooth decay by limiting your intake of sugary and acidic food and drinks. This can be challenging if you have a sweet tooth, but remember what your grandmother always said about an ounce of prevention…

Here at Family Dentistry, we can definitely help our patients get through dental emergencies with “a pound of cure,” but we prefer to help you practice great dental hygiene so you can enjoy a better quality of life. Come and see us so we can assess your oral health. Call 812-853-3313 to make an appointment. We’ll be happy to hear from you!