Community Update

7 Steps to a Healthier Mouth

Good oral hygiene results in a mouth that looks and smells healthy. This means your teeth are clean and free of debris, your gums are pink and don’t hurt or bleed when you brush and floss, and bad breath is not a constant problem. Good oral health involves more than just brushing your teeth every night before bed. In order to keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime, there are simple steps you can take to keep smiling longer.
The hardest part about developing a winning oral health routine is establishing the routine in the first place. It's a challenge, but with a lot of focus, you can start a new habit. Try offering yourself a little reward after your nightly oral health routine -- an extra ten minutes of TV or video games, or throwing a few dollars into a fund for a night out or a new book. You should also log your progress in a notebook or your smartphone so that you can track how well you're doing. With this focus in place, you can create a new routine in about two to four weeks.
Dr. Marvin a. Fier offers the following tips to a healthier you:
Step # 1
Brush and Floss Daily
Everyone should brush his or her teeth at least twice a day. It is often even better to brush your teeth three times a day or after every meal to ensure proper removal of food particles. Brushing your teeth helps to remove plaque, which is a complex mass of bacteria that constantly forms on your teeth. If plaque is not removed every day, it can turn the sugars found in most foods and drinks into acids that lead to decay.
In addition to brushing your teeth twice a day, it is also important to floss your teeth at least once a day. Proper flossing helps to remove plaque and food particles in places where a toothbrush cannot easily reach – under the gum line and between your teeth. Because plaque build-up can lead to tooth decay and gum disease, daily flossing is highly recommended.
Step # 2
Use a timer
Aside from a toothbrush and floss, a timer is perhaps your greatest weapon in the fight for great oral health. Setting the timer as a reminder establishes your brushing-and-flossing routine as something that happens at the same time every day, which will help firm it up as a routine.
Step # 3
Use Flouride
The use of fluoride can benefit both children and adults. Fluoride is used to strengthen developing teeth in children and prevents tooth decay in both children and adults. Toothpastes and mouth rinses are good sources of fluoride. Your dentist can also prescribe a stronger concentration of fluoride in a gel, toothpaste or rinse if you need it. Additionally, fluoride levels in tap water may not be high enough without supplementation to prevent tooth decay. You can contact your water utility to determine the level for your area. Talk to your dentist in Cincinnati about your fluoride needs and how you can get the most out of fluoride.
Step # 4
Eat a Well-Balanced Diet with Limited Snacking
It is important to eat a variety of foods, particularly those that fall in each category of the food pyramid, but eat fewer foods that contain sugars and starches. These foods produce the most acids in the mouth, which begin the decay process. If you must snack, brush our teeth afterward or chew a piece of sugarless gum.
Step # 5
Examine your Mouth regularly

Even if you visit your dentist regularly, you are in the best position to notice changes in your mouth. Your dentist and dental hygienist see you only a few times a year, but you can examine your mouth weekly to look for changes that might be of concern. Changes in your mouth that you should look for include:
• Swollen gums
• Chipped teeth
• Discolored teeth
• Sores or lesions on your gums, cheeks or tongue
A regular examination is particularly important for tobacco users, who are at increased risk of developing oral cancer. If you smoke or use smokeless tobacco, your dentist or dental hygienist can show you where a sore, spot, patch or lump is most likely to appear

Step # 6
Avoid tobacco and chewing gum
Add alcohol and it’s the perfect storm! Aside from the obvious yellowing of the teeth, tobacco can cause gum inflammation and can contribute towards plaque and tartar. And most importantly can contribute towards oral cancer.

Step # 7
Visit the dentist office regularly
Talk to your dentist about how often you should visit. If you have a history of cavities or crown and bridge work, or are wearing braces, you should visit the dentist more often. Some people, such as diabetics or smokers, have more gum disease than the general population. They also should visit the dentist more often. People with suppressed immune systems also are more likely to have dental problems. Examples include people who are infected with HIV or are receiving cancer treatment. More frequent visits for these groups are important to maintain good oral health.


I am interested in hearing from any of our Patch readers on any other tips that work for them and their families. www.SmileRockland.com