Taking care of your teeth at home is as simple as reforming your self-care habits accordingly to achieve that goal.

Brush Your Teeth With Proper Technique

Listen to your dentist when they say to brush your teeth at least two times every day. Brushing after your first and last meal will be most effective for maintaining healthy teeth. Make it a point to brush your teeth after breakfast and at least another time after dinner or following your late-night snack, if you have one.

Floss Every Day

You can't just brush your teeth and call it a job well done as there is more work needed to maintain a healthy set of teeth. Flossing every day is essential for reducing plaque build-up between your teeth. Too much plaque on your teeth could get into your gums and cause gingivitis (or periodontal disease if it worsens)or instigate other conditions like bad breath and overall tooth decay.

Use Mouthwash After Every Brush

This is up to your discretion if you have healthy teeth or up to your dentist's recommendation if you have any gum-related issues. People maintaining a good dental hygiene schedule of brushing and flossing at least twice a day do not need to use mouthwash. Check with your dentist after a routine check-up to see what mouthwash they recommend, if necessary.

Tools To Have For Healthy Teeth At Home

Here are the tools you should always have on hand to maintain healthy teeth at home at all times.

Manual, Electric, And/Or Battery-Powered Toothbrushes

Brushing your teeth in circular motions at a 45-degree angle utilizing a toothbrush with soft bristles paired with fluoride toothpaste is the best method for taking care of your teeth. Choosing an electric or battery-powered toothbrush can be more effective for your teeth-cleaning routine as the oscillating toothbrush head will do the circular motions for you and all you have to do is the moving and angling while brushing.

Floss

Floss picks are good for using throughout the day to get plaque out of directly in between your teeth. However, invest in some string floss to start flossing around each tooth as well to remove any plaque not removed with teeth brushing. Hold the floss container at your elbow and measure it accordingly until it reaches the end of your other hand's middle finger as this measures 18 inches on average. This is an optimal measurement where you can curl the floss up at the ends with your fingers to floss in between your teeth and form a C-shape as you work to floss around each tooth.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash may or may not be needed Ending your brushing and flossing sessions with a mouthwash boasts the following benefits:

•          Helps dental cavities not to get any worse.

•          Decreases bacteria that causes gingivitis and early gum disease.

•          Controls bad breath.

•          Gets rid of food debris that tooth brushing and flossing may have left behind.

•          Not as much instances of dry mouth with regular use.

Waterpik Water Flosser

Especially if you are battling the onset of early gum disease, using a Waterpik Water Flosser in your routine will make your dental hygiene routine that much more effective. It utilizes pulse-modulation technology for thorough plaque removal and positive gum stimulation thanks to the hydro-pulse massage mode.

Tongue Scraper

Brushing your tongue with your toothbrush can help to remove bacteria from it, but a tongue scraper is much more effective for this application. Regularly utilizing a tongue scraper after brushing and flossing and before using mouthwash can reduce how much good bacteria remains in your mouth and convert to nitric oxide for cell reparation benefits.

Home Accessories to Know About

You may want to invest in extra storage in your bathroom or dental area to hold your many oral hygiene tools. There are simple organization styles like wall storage or cabinetry. Some even like organizers that go on the bathroom counter just to make it easier for them to see. There are more complicated routes such as hollowing out a wall and making it into a storage area with a mirror on the outside so people will never know. Whether you choose an easier or more complicated way a home dental routine is necessary and accessories make it easier to have one.

Start Your Journey To Shiny Teeth!

If you ever watched The Fairly Oddparents in the early 2000s, you may remember the character, Chip Skylark's song "My Shiny Teeth And Me". We hope you can achieve the shiniest teeth and the utmost confidence as you enhance your dental hygiene routine. Happy brushing!

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for RGC Dentistry