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It’s a good idea to check in with yourself about your oral health care routine every so often. When you do the same thing again and again without really thinking about it, you start to lose the impact of the treatment. Brushing and flossing are the basic home care practices that everyone should perform to care for their teeth. Now is the perfect time to check in on this routine. How are you brushing and flossing? Could you be doing a better job? Answering these questions can improve the long-term condition of your teeth.

Be Mindful When You Brush Your Teeth to Ensure You Reach Each Surface

It’s easy for toothbrushing to become a checklist activity: something you do twice a day because you know you’re supposed to. However, even brushing twice a day — when not executed properly — won’t keep your teeth clean. You need to take a mindful approach to brushing and ensure that you reach each surface of each tooth. Start at the gum line and brush away from it to move bacteria away from this area. Focusing on the gum line helps you remove bacteria from this area and prevent gum disease. Brush for at least two minutes, and make sure you stay engaged throughout.

Flossing Regularly Does for Your Teeth What Brushing Cannot

Brushing is an effective way to remove much of the bacteria that build up on your teeth, but it’s not the only home care practice you should be performing. Flossing regularly reaches surfaces that your brush bristles cannot reach. This is a particularly important step for individuals with crowding in certain areas of their mouth. You need something to reach these tight surfaces and disrupt the formation of plaque. If you’re not already brushing regularly, now is the time to start.

Implement Home Care Practices that Will Work for You

You may want to improve your home care routine, but you might not be sure where to start. If you’re looking to add a new practice or tool to your arsenal, be sure to choose something that works for you. If it’s traditional floss, a water pick, or individual floss instruments — any flossing is better than no flossing. The same goes for toothbrushes. If an electric toothbrush with a timer will help ensure that you’re brushing for long enough, explore your options for adding this instrument to your home care routine.

Cedar Dental Provides General Dentistry Services to Help You Protect Your Teeth

Home care alone isn’t enough to ensure your teeth stay healthy and clean. You still need to make regular visits to your dentist for checkups and cleanings. At Cedar, our professional staff will examine your teeth to look for structural areas of concern or developing problems. This allows us to treat the issue before it becomes serious. Schedule your appointment with Cedar Dental in Cedar Rapids, IA by contacting the office at 319-364-7108.