Two Holidays In One Month!?
Do you love the fall? We don’t know what’s not to love as this season is filled with football game fun, pumpkin picking, delicious treats and Halloween festivities for our old and young patients. Our hope is that the delicious fall treats you enjoy now don’t play any tricks on your oral health in the future. Not only is Halloween celebrated during October, but it is also the month that we recognize Dental Hygiene Month. It is the perfect time to merge two holidays — overindulging in sweets and celebrating the importance of caring for your teeth. We have created some helpful tips to ensure that your teeth remain healthy this fall. Read on to learn more.
Caring for Your Teeth This Fall and Beyond
Halloween signifies the start of the holiday season. Before we know it, Thanksgiving will be here followed closely by all of the December holidays and the start of a new year. This time can be filled with indulgent sweet treats that can lead to a rise in tooth decay. Proper oral hygiene is more important than ever. We want to take a few moments to share some helpful tips to remind you the proper way to care for your teeth and oral health:
Brushing and Flossing Tips
- Be sure to brush teeth twice daily for two minutes. Set a timer to see how long two minutes lasts, being sure to be thorough with your brushing.
- Use a soft-bristled brush and use gentle strokes, not vigorous movements. The idea that rough brushing is needed to properly clean teeth is false. Proper brush strokes along with the impact of toothpaste is all that is required to properly clean your teeth.
- Replace your toothbrush when the bristles appear bent and are not standing at attention. Remember to replace any toothbrush after an illness such as the common cold, flu, COVID-19, or a throat infection.
- Floss at least once a day, preferably at night. This is important to remove any lingering bacteria from between the teeth.
- Guide the floss gently between the teeth being sure not to use a chopping motion into your gums. Rough flossing can lead to swollen and bleeding gums.
If you have not visited us within the past six months for a hygiene examination and cleaning, we recommend calling our office located in Wellington, FL to schedule an appointment. Your oral health is important to us, and we want to ensure there are no concerns that can lead to a dental emergency. We hope you “fall” into our office soon!
