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Oral hygiene is easy to maintain. It only requires less than ten minutes a day to have perfect oral hygiene. In this article we are going to share how to spend this vital ten minutes to keep your mouth clean. The known ways of maintaining oral hygiene are tooth brushing, flossing, using a mouthwash, and other new ways which include use of sugar-free chewing gum. The principle objective in oral hygiene is the removal of plaque, thus reducing the time fermentable food stays in contact with the tooth surfaces. Brushing and flossing remove the plaque and food from the mouth, while the use of mouthwashes ensures that the bacteria are flushed out of  the mouth.

The following are ways to easy oral hygiene:

  1. Minimize the number of times you have your sugary snacks.
  1. Ensure you brush well, using the correct strokes, after every meal. The best strokes involve both rotatory and back-and-forth movements of the bristles. This will ensure that you clean most areas of the tooth.
  1. Do not forget to brush your tongue and the areas toward your throat.

 

  1. Ensure you change your toothbrush after every three months, or as soon as the bristles start to flare. It has been found that using a toothbrush for longer than three months can result in decreased efficiency of the bristles, and hence more bacteria on your teeth. It is also suggested that after a few months, accumulated bacteria in the brush can be inoculated back into the mouth
  1. Always floss once a day. When flossing, use a new part of the floss for a new area, and floss up to the back of the last tooth.
  1. When away from home, carry a toothbrush in the handbag. This will ensure you can always brush after every meal.
  1. Another option when you are travelling is to use a sugar-free chewing gum. The chewing action increases the amount of saliva that is produced, and it also cleanses the teeth mechanically. The increased saliva secretion keeps the mouth clean till you can get home to use your toothbrush.
  1. It is important to visit your dentist regularly as a way of maintaining  good oral hygiene. A single visit after every six months is good enough, and it can serve as a way of assessing the benefits of maintaining good oral hygiene. The dentist may note any new disease in the mouth, and help you to avoid or eradicate it.

 

These simple steps make oral hygiene very easy to maintain. Why not try them out!

Contact a dentist or dental hygienist at Water Brook Dental in Washington DC for a dental check-up and other dental needs. Water Brook Dental has two locations in Washington DC. The Columbia Heights location is very  conveniently located to Downtown DC, Northeast DC, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U-Street Corridor, Mount Pleasant and many other parts of Washington. The Eastern Ave NW location is conveniently located to Downtown Silver Spring, Takoma Park MD, Silver Spring MD, Colesville, and other parts of Maryland as well as Northern Virginia and other parts of Virginia.