Dental hygiene is just like any other health routine: think of a fitness routine, a skincare routine, or a haircare routine. Our relationship with all of these routines probably goes through different phases, but it’s important to develop a healthy relationship with our dental hygiene routine.
Although this is easier said than done, creating the perfect routine that is for you can only be done by you. We wanted to help with the general process so we put together a few tips.
Creating a Good Dental Health Routine
People often neglect things that are good for them because they don’t really love the activity, or they’re not seeing immediate results. To combat these negative feelings, try to make your dental hygiene routine something you look forward to every day.
- Start with buying a new toothbrush: it can be electric or traditional. If you struggle to brush your teeth for the recommended 2 minutes, try playing music while brushing your teeth. Brush your teeth for the entire duration of one song (as long as the song is at least 2 minutes long).
- If you find yourself struggling to floss, try different options. There are plenty of options to choose from: traditional string floss, a toothpick flosser, or the new popular method, a water flosser. Water flossers come with multiple different heads, so you can experiment with which is best for you. All of these options help remove plaque while eliminating the bacteria between your teeth. It’s important to floss at least once a day.
- If you often forget to take care of your teeth when you wake up and before bed, set an alarm. Set an alarm 15 minutes after you wake up and 15 minutes before bedtime, and don’t let yourself snooze it! Start with flossing, then brush, and end with mouthwash.
- Don’t forget to use fluoride! You might already be doing this step daily. If you drink tap water, you’re getting a good bit of fluoride every day. Fluoride helps rebuild weakened tooth enamel, reverse early signs of tooth decay, prevent the growth of harmful oral bacteria, slow down the loss of minerals from tooth enamel, and more. Experiment with different fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to find your favorite brand and flavor. Your strong teeth will thank you!
- It’s super important to keep up with your six-month dental cleanings and exams. Not only are you getting a professional cleaning during these check-ups, but your dentist is also removing plaque and looking for any potential dental issues. With that being said, we understand how easy it is to fall out of the six-month routine. Next time you’re at the dentist ask if you can schedule your following exam and cleaning. Continue with this cycle and you’ll be set without having to remember to call your dentist every six months to set up your appointment.
Creating the perfect healthy dental hygiene routine is difficult, and sticking with it can be even more challenging. Overall, try and find something to motivate you to do these small tasks daily, whether that is trying new products, listening to music, or something else that you enjoy. It’s important to remind yourself that you won’t see results immediately, but following these steps every day puts you on the road to success!
One Call Away
We’re here to help at Hampden Dental Group. We can always recommend new products and provide you with encouraging tips to help you keep up with your routine. Hampden Dental Group is currently accepting new patients and following necessary protocols and guidelines to keep patients and staff safe. Make your appointment today!