Taking the time to assess and upgrade your oral hygiene tools can pay off big time as your smile ages. Our Novato dentists are here with some helpful information about key considerations as you build your at-home oral hygiene routine. Here are some things to keep in mind as you analyze dental tools…
Size
The first thing to consider is how large your dental tool is. The head of your toothbrush, for example, should be small enough to reach into the back corners of your smile. Floss should likewise be able to fit in between all of your teeth, so that you can adequately remove dental debris. Using a tool that is too big can actually negatively affect the quality of your daily cleaning routine.
Abrasiveness
a cleaning tool and formulation is somewhat abrasive—this is the manner in which we are able to clean plaque from our teeth. The goal, however is to clean our smiles with the least abrasive effective cleaner available. So, for example, you want to use the gentlest toothbrush bristle that you can, without sacrificing efficacy. That’s why most patients will do well with a soft-bristled brush. Talk to your dentist about what type of cleaning tool is right for you. You want to protect your smile from unnecessary abrasion and erosion whenever possible.
Preference
Then there are certain particularities of your cleaning routine that simply come down to preference. Floss, for example, comes in a number of flavors. Choose something you genuinely like! Research shows that patients are much more likely to stick with their new oral hygiene regimens when they enjoy the products they are using.
Our Novato dentists are here to give you any additional information you may need about preventive dental care and at-home oral hygiene routines. You can always call our office to speak to a member of our team, or you can submit an inquiry using the Contact Us page on our site!