Your daily oral hygiene routine is unique. You’ve learned tips and tricks for doing things throughout the years, and you’ve tried to make it as efficient as you can. In many cases, however, that “efficiency” is actually taking away from your ability to keep your teeth healthy. Let’s take a look at common aspects of your daily hygiene routine and how you can improve that time spent.

Flossing Effectively – The sad truth is that many Americans don’t floss at all, and most of those who do use floss don’t use it effectively. Floss should curve around your tooth to cover most of the surface of your tooth so that it can remove about 40% of the bacteria from your tooth surface.

Brushing Thoroughly – Many people brush all of their teeth, but they don’t spend enough time doing it. Brushing your teeth should take no shorter than two full minutes. Try keeping track of how much time you spend brushing, and increase that time to two minutes so that you thoroughly cover all surfaces in your mouth.

Rinsing Efficiently – Some patients choose to use mouth rinse, which we encourage. However, if you are going to use mouth rinse, you should use a rinse that is most efficient. Antiseptic rinses are best for removing bacteria and protecting your teeth from gum disease and decay.

Almost all of us practice some form of oral hygiene routine, but not all of us take full advantage of that time. Think through your own routine, and see how you can improve it! Contact us today for more ideas. We would love to set up an appointment and discuss your routine with you!