Easy Ways You Can Extend the Benefits of a Dental Cleaning at Home

Getting a thorough dental cleaning from your local Haymarket, Virginia dentist is a reason to smile. Dr. Sina Reangber and the team at Lifetime Smiles provide professional teeth cleaning services and other preventive dental treatments to help preserve your smile’s health and function. The team at Lifetime Smiles has extensive experience in a wide range of general, restorative, and cosmetic dentistry solutions and is here to help you feel and look your best.

You should see a dentist twice a year for a dental cleaning and examination. Cleaning your teeth plays a significant role in preventing gum disease and tooth decay. This will also allow any dental problems to be identified at their earliest stages, requiring less complex, less invasive, and less expensive treatments. While these appointments are crucial to oral health, they only constitute two days of the year. The other 363 days of the year are up to you to properly care for your oral health.

Here are some steps you can take to allow the benefits of your dental cleanings to last longer.

Be Conscious of Your Diet

You can extend the benefits of dental cleaning when you consume foods and drinks that provide some natural teeth cleaning. Crunchy vegetables and fruits, including apples, carrots, and celery, can help to stimulate more production of saliva, which will naturally help clean your teeth and neutralize any acids causing cavities.

Dairy products, rich in calcium, will help strengthen your teeth’ enamel. Vegetables, including broccoli and spinach, also have a significant calcium profile.

While you increase your consumption of foods that will help keep your teeth clean and strong, you should also decrease the amount of foods you consume that are high in sugar or basic carbs. Consuming sugar encourages the growth of oral bacteria and raises acidity in your mouth. Basic carbs also break down into sugars very easily.

Good Oral Hygiene

How you treat your teeth following a dental cleaning will determine how long you reap the cleaning benefits. Just because your teeth are clean following your dental appointment does not mean you can lax your at-home oral hygiene. The American Dental Association recommends brushing twice daily (for around two minutes at a time) and flossing daily.

You should focus on your brushing and flossing technique as well. Doing these incorrectly can lead to more harm than good. Ensure you brush your teeth using a soft-bristled toothbrush held at a 45-degree angle to the gums. Focus on one tooth at a time and make sure not to brush too rigorously or hard, as this can damage the tooth’s enamel.

It is important to floss as well. If you skip flossing, you allow tiny pieces of food debris to remain between teeth, leading to gum disease, decay, and bad breath.

Schedule A Dental Cleaning Today

If it is time for your twice-a-year dental cleaning or if it has been a while since you’ve seen a dentist, please reach out to us. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Reangber, please call (571) 248-7389.

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