5 Tips to Maintain Good Oral Health

October is Dental Hygiene Month  so we thought you might appreciate the following tips for oral health, that can have a positive affect on more than just your teeth!

1.     Brush and floss daily– This is the easiest preventative measure we can take every day to help protect our teeth and gums. Brush your teeth twice per day for two minutes and floss once per day. This will help remove plaque, a sticky substance which contains bacteria, from your teeth and gums. This bacteria can break down tooth enamel and eventually lead to cavities.

2.     Replace your toothbrush every three months – After three months the toothbrush wears down and it becomes less effective at cleaning your teeth and removing plaque. You should also always replace your toothbrush after you’ve had a cold, flu or oral infection to protect yourself from the bacteria lingering in your toothbrush. I recommend going with a soft bristle toothbrush especially for people with sensitive gums. If you have a powered toothbrush (my favorite is the Sonicare) you should replace the toothbrush heads every three months as well.

3.     Don’t ignore dry mouth – Occasional dry mouth is normal, but 25% of the U.S. population and 40% of the 60+ population suffers from dry mouth on a regular basis. Saliva plays an important role in keeping your mouth moisturized and clean, and without it, tooth decay, gingivitis and other oral infections may develop. Salese Lozenges can offer one hour of more of dry mouth relief by utilizing Nuvora’s patented SuRe™ (Sustained Release) drug delivery technology while also killing bacteria and eliminating germs that cause bad breath. Salese is available for $5.99 in Peppermint and Wintergreen and in a sensitive formulation for people with mouth sensitivity at ShopRite, DrugStore.com and Walgreens.com.

4.     Get to the root of your bad breath. Bad breath isn’t just embarrassing, it could also be telling you something more about your overall health. Gum disease, tooth decay, diabetes and dry mouth can all cause bad breath, or halitosis. It could also be a result to not brushing your teeth long enough or you may be forgetting to clean your tongue. Drinking plenty of water to and using Salese Lozenges to keep your mouth moisturized and to kill germs will help relieve bad breath.

5.     Visit your dentist at least twice a year. Your bi-annual trips to the dentist are important! During this time you will get an overall check up and professional cleaning that will help remove plaque that you weren’t able to clean from your teeth and gums. It’s also important to always keep your dentist in the loop of any changes to your overall health including illness and chronic conditions that may be linked to oral health. For instance diabetes, HIV and Sjogren’s syndrome can all effect oral health, causing infection and dry mouth.

Lory Laughter has been a practicing dental hygienist since her graduation from Idaho State University in 1994. Today she has a variety of career roles including private practice, speaking, writing and event planning. She is a consultant with Nuvora, Inc and participates in Hygiene Department consulting with Kathleen Johnson consulting. She is a contributor for RDH Magazine and is the founder and owner of Dental IQ, a business committed to providing quality continuing education to the entire dental team. Learn more about Lory at http://lorylaughter.com/.