Nov. 27, 2023 - minute readminutes read

How to Get the Most Out of Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Good health begins with good oral care.

Like all other areas in your body, there are bacteria in your mouth - some good, some bad. Proper oral hygiene can help you keep good bacteria and get rid of the bad ones that cause plaque build-up and damage your gums and teeth. Oral health into ripe old age is important for a healthy body. Did you know that healthy gums prevent bacteria from entering the bloodstream, travelling inside your body, causing inflammation and affecting your overall health? You can help keep your oral and general health optimal with daily brushing, interdental cleaning and rinsing.

Want to get the most out of your oral care routine? Watch our video and find out how! Remember that while a complete oral care routine will benefit everyone, we all have different needs that call for the help of a professional. This is why you should visit your dental professional twice a year for professional cleaning and personalized care.

Are you getting the most out of your oral care routine? Watch our video to learn more.

1.

To get the most out of your oral care routine, remember that “it takes 3”—three gentle steps in just a few minutes.

2.

A complete routine means cleaning all 5 tooth surfaces. With a toothbrush, you can easily clean 3.

3.

To clean the remaining two, you need to use an interdental brush, pick or floss every day!

4.

Finish with a non-aggressive fluoride mouthwash.

A FEW THINGS you may be wondering about:

You can do whatever works best for you. If you use interdental picks in one area and floss in another, that’s completely fine. Or if you use only floss or only interdentals, those are sound alternatives too. Most people find GUM® SOFT-PICKS® easier to use than other tools, and this helps them establish good habits. The most important thing is to clean between your teeth daily to remove plaque. How you do it is up to you!

Since plaque is pale yellow, it isn’t always easy to spot. The good news is there’s an easy way to find out which parts of your teeth still need a bit more cleaning. If you want to see where you’ve missed some plaque, you can try plaque disclosing tablets. They turn any plaque build-up on the teeth red, making it very easy to spot. You can then brush or floss those areas until the teeth are completely clean.

One explanation might be that you are brushing too hard. Gentle brushing is key for a good oral care routine. Over-zealous brushing or using a brush with stiff bristles can damage gum tissue and enamel, causing tooth sensitivity, gum bleeding and recession. If you’re wondering which brush is best for you, check out our tips on how to choose your toothbrush. If the bleeding doesn’t subside with more gentle brushing, this could indicate your gums are unusually tender due to inflammation. In this case, you should visit your dental professional for guidance.

You can start cleaning babies’ teeth as soon as they appear. Be sure to use a toothbrush specially designed for babies, with an extra small head that easily fits inside infants’ mouths. Make sure you use an age-appropriate toothpaste with fluoride levels adapted to young teeth.

Like other parts of the body, your mouth is home to lots of bacteria. They settle on the tooth surface, feeding on leftover food, mostly sugars, and multiplying and producing waste. The combination of bacteria and their waste, food debris and saliva forms a soft, pale yellow and sticky biofilm known as plaque. This deposit forms on enamel, especially between teeth and around the gum line. You should be aware that poor & irregular brushing and a sugary diet contribute significantly to plaque formation.

A toothbrush will only remove part of your plaque. To clean between your teeth and below the gum line, you need to use a smaller interdental brush, pick, floss, or flosser. If left unremoved, soft plaque will eventually harden into tartar, which can only be removed by a dental professional.