Your dental hygiene routine should be treated like any other routine. We all have a fitness routine, skincare routine, or a hair care routine, and although our relationships with all of these routines go through different phases, it’s important to develop a healthy relationship with our dental hygiene routine.
We want to help with the general process so we put together a few tips, but creating the perfect routine that is for you can only be done by you.
Creating a Good Dental Hygiene Routine
People constantly neglect things that are good for them. People often do this because they might not enjoy the activity or they don’t see the results they want immediately. This is why it’s important to make your dental hygiene routine something you look forward to.
- You can start your new dental hygiene routine by buying a new toothbrush, either electric or traditional. If you’re struggling to brush your teeth for the recommend two minutes, play music and brush your teeth and brush them for the entire duration of one song.
- If it’s a struggle to floss every day, try experimenting with different ways of flossing. There are plenty of options to choose from including 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 and eliminate bacteria that are in between the teeth. It’s important to floss at least once a day.
- Remember to use fluoride every day! You might not realize it but you could already be doing this step. If you drink tap water daily, you’re getting a good bit of fluoride. 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. Be sure to experiment with different fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to find your favorite brand and flavor. Your strong teeth will thank you!
- If you continuously find yourself forgetting to take care of your teeth when you wake up and before you go to bed, set an alarm. Set an alarm 15 minutes after you wake up and 15 minutes before bedtime, and be sure you don’t snooze it! Start with flossing, then brush, and end with mouthwash.
- Lastly, it is extremely 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 removing plaque while looking for any potential dental issues. But, we do understand how easy it is to fall out of the six-month check-up 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 best dental hygiene routine for you can be hard, and sticking to the routine is even more challenging. Overall, try and find something to motivate you to do these small daily tasks. Give new products a try, listen to music, or try something else that might motivate you. Remember that you won’t see results immediately, but following these steps every day puts you in the right direction!
One Call Away
Here at Kip Dental, we want to help. We’re always available to recommend new dental hygiene products or strategize with you to come up with a routine that works. We are currently accepting new patients, make your appointment today!
