Oral Hygiene: 101

At Feldmanis Family Dentistry, we strive to ensure each of our patients enjoy the very best oral health. We understand that not everybody enjoys visiting, that’s why Eugene kid’s dentist Dr. Feldmanis and her friendly and experienced staff make every effort to ensure patients remain comfortable and relaxed during their dental appointment.

For patients to have the most comfortable dental experience when visiting our office, it’s important they practice quality dental hygiene. Taking the time at home to develop good oral health habits will help to ensure each appointment with Dr. Feldmanis remains brief and anxiety free.

To help you enjoy the best oral health possible, make sure you practice the following hygiene habits.

Brushing

The American Dental Association recommends that people spend at least two minutes brushing each time they pickup a toothbrush. However, despite the importance of proper brushing, studies show that most people average only 30 seconds brushing their teeth. This means most people spend only one minute a day brushing, a quarter of the amount time recommended by the ADA.

To ensure you spend enough time brushing, Dr. Feldmanis recommends that you divide your mouth into four sections, and spend 30 seconds brushing each one. Since it can be difficult to keep accurate track of how long you’ve spend brushing consider placing a clock in your bathroom or in an area easily viewable from your sink.

Flossing

Many dentist actually consider flossing a more important habit than brushing when trying to prevent tooth decay. Unfortunately, the one area most people choose to neglect when it comes to their oral hygiene is flossing. Approximately 51 percent of Americans fail to floss daily, with 10 percent never flossing at all, according American Dental Association.

Considering how many people fail to floss regularly, it shouldn’t come as too big a surprise to learn that the most common place for cavities to develop is between teeth.

Even if you never get food stuck between your teeth, you still need to remove harmful plaque in order to protect the health of your teeth and gums.

Mouthwash

Using an antibacterial mouthwash after brushing can help ensure that you remove any lingering pockets of plaque you may have missed while brushing. Plaque can buildup anywhere in the mouth, especially in areas hard to reach while brushing. To get your mouth as clean as possible, you need to rinse with a mouthwash as the last step of your nightly oral hygiene routine.

Schedule Regular Appointments

A number of oral health concerns can arise even if you practice quality oral hygiene at home. Scheduling regular appointments with Dr. Feldmanis will provide her the opportunity to look for the early signs of tooth decay and gum disease, while also giving her the chance to conduct a routine oral cancer screening.

By practicing these oral hygiene habits daily, you can ensure you maintain a healthy and happy mouth for years to come.

If you have any questions about how to improve or maintain your oral health, feel free to ask Dr. Feldmanis or any member of her friendly staff during your next appointment.