Tips from Dr. Silverstein
 General dental care tips and recommendations straight from Dr. Silverstein: Make a Great First Impression with a Healthy Smile!
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• Create a simple routine of brushing and cleaning in-between teeth every day. Make sure to use an ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste and consult your dentist for proper tooth-brushing techniques.
• Establish good eating habits. Certain foods, for example, can actually work to clean teeth. Fibrous foods like celery and carrots work best.
• Having regular dental visits can prevent many dental health problems. This will also save you time, money and potential discomfort!
• Daily flossing between teeth or use of other interdental cleaners can help remove food particles and plaque and is essential for preventing both tooth decay and gum disease. Plaque on your teeth that is not removed by daily brushing and cleaning can eventually harden into tartar.
• Speak to your dentist about the kinds of oral care products that will be most beneficial for you and your teeth. For example, even adults can benefit from fluoride. If you have sensitive teeth, your dentist may suggest a special toothpaste which will be less painful during brushing but will also help keep your tooth enamel strong.
• Help children learn proper dental care habits by teaching them early. It is important to limit children’s sugar intake, to make sure that the child is getting enough fluoride, to supervise brushing sessions and help with flossing, to choose a child-sized toothbrush for ease of use and to make the oral care regimen fun.
• Replace your toothbrush every three to four months. Replace even sooner if you notice that the bristles have become frayed. Keep in mind that children’s toothbrushes may need to be replaced more frequently than adult toothbrushes.
• Not all mouthwashes are alike so make sure to read the label before purchasing one. There are two kinds of mouthwashes – therapeutic and cosmetic. Use a therapeutic rinse with fluoride and antimicrobial agents to prevent tooth decay and reduce plaque. Use a cosmetic mouthwash when rinsing to mask breath odor by reducing the bacteria that cause bad breath.
• If you find that you often have dry mouth, it is important to stimulate saliva production as dry mouth can affect chewing, swallowing, digestion and speech. Electric toothbrushes can be effective in increasing saliva flow.
• An electric toothbrush may also be effective if you have braces since the wires, brackets and bands make it more difficult to properly clean the teeth and gums. This kind of technology is proven to reach and clean even the most hard-to-reach places.
• Water picks are recommended for proper at-home oral care in some cases. |
