Brushing your teeth helps prevent cavities, but optimal dental health should not be undertaken because of cavity prevention alone. Good dental hygiene is also the assurance of keeping gums healthy. This small task is essential, especially in a time when periodontal disease affects nearly 80% of all adults. It is crucial to know how to effectively prevent these problems. If problems persist, an unwanted trip to an emergency dentist in Providence RI.
All a person needs to ensure great oral care is a good toothbrush, a decent fluoride toothpaste, dental floss and interdental brushes. These small tools will allow people to remove dental plaque, otherwise known as the colorless film filled with bacteria. As plaque starts to form, it gradually covers the teeth and slips between the tooth and the gum. Then it hardens and turns into tartar. The presence of tartar is not only unsightly, it can also cause inflammation of the gums and trigger an infection that attacks the bone retaining each tooth. And when the first symptoms appear, it is already too late and the damage can go as far as loss of teeth.
To avoid having to embark on complex and painful treatments:
•Brush your teeth at least twice a day (morning and evening) for 3 minutes;
•Rotate and place the toothbrush at a 45° angle to remove the plaque from the gums;
•Carefully brush each tooth with inter-dental brushes; and
•Finish up by using dental floss to clean the spaces between your teeth.
A third of all teeth are not accessible to the toothbrush, which means using each of the above tools is important. Also choose each tool with care, not to forget that a toothbrush should be changed regularly, and it should not be hard enough to damage the gums. Toothpaste is also important; if your gums are sensitive or if an Emergency Dentist in Providence RI has indicated a risk of gingivitis, choose a specific and suitable toothpaste. Similarly, the dentist may advise you to use a mouthwash.
Lastly, a preventive action takes place during each visit to the dentist. This health professional does not just check to ensure your teeth are not decaying. All of their work consists of evaluating their patient’s overall oral health while providing information as to how you can maintain said oral health. Get more information by clicking here.