Oral Hygiene Must Haves

Oral hygiene goody bags offer incentive for oral health. Dentists provide these goody bags after semi-annual visits for oral hygiene. Filled with a new toothbrush, dental floss and oral hygiene tools specific to our needs, this bag of treats sends friendly reminders about our oral health. But it’s up to us to manage our oral health care for the year. Let’s look at the items for you to add to your dental shopping list…

• Toothbrushes only last for one to two months. So, you may want to stock up on a supply of toothbrushes for the year. Add to this, a toothbrush case for keeping the toothbrush protected from pollutants in the air, you’ll certainly help optimize your oral hygiene.

• Tongue scapers that combat bacteria on the tongue are a must in today’s environment. Changing your tongue scraper every three months ensures that you obtain the maximum benefit.

• Water picks offers deep cleaning below the gum line and between the teeth which are high risk areas for tooth decay and periodontal disease. An investment in a thirty dollar water pick can last for many years.

• Superfloss is said to be one step up from regular floss with the ability to remove plaque from below the gum line. Superfloss also offers convenience to reach troublesome areas such as crowns and braces to leverage oral health.

• Alcohol free mouthwashes with anti-bacterial agents are helpful for deep cleaning around crowns, bridges and braces. A good mouthwash can go a long way towards maintaining a healthy mouth.

• Gum stimulators are useful for stimulating the gums to be healthy, improve circulation and remove plaque from between the teeth. Don’t forget to change out your gum stimulator every three months or so in order to keep on top of oral hygiene.

• Sugar free gum helps provide for adequate saliva flow in the mouth. Adequate saliva flow is important to decontaminate the mouth and teeth from harmful bacteria that can produce tooth decay and periodontal disease. The chewing action of sugar free gum is certain to enhance saliva flow. If you have dry mouth syndrome, consider oral gels that can be placed on the tongue to stimulate saliva flow.

Oral hygiene tips are just a few of the items that are important for oral health. Undoubtedly, your dentist will have many tips that will help you to have a healthy mouth.

If you are interested in learning more about your oral hygiene, contact Dr. Mark Sweeney, an Austin Texas dentist, at 512.380.1300.