You already know the importance of maintaining a good oral care routine. You’ve also read about different tips, tricks, and oral products to use in your oral care routine, from dental flosses to mouthwash. But what is the best way to combine them to achieve the best oral care results?
Find the steps below for an oral care routine that achieves the ultimate result. That is, boosting your oral health, helping prevent certain dental problems, freshening your breath, and improving your smile. To help you, here’s a guide on what to do for the best oral care results.
1. Oral care routine: Floss once a day
You likely know all about the benefits of dental flossing by now. It’s important to floss your teeth at least once daily, preferably at night, before bed. This way, the food you eat during the day does not end up resting in the spaces between your teeth.
Flossing loosens these food particles, making them easier to clean or rinse. It’s also important to floss before you brush your teeth, and not the other way around.
Once you loosen the bits of food, brushing will help displace them or sweep them away. And, while on the subject of flossing, did you know that you could do a lot more with your floss? A typical string floss offers many other uses; check it out.
2. Brush two times each day
You probably guessed it already; the next part of your oral care routine is to brush your teeth two times each day, for two minutes each time.
The mouth is divided into four parts known as quadrants. The upper portion of your mouth contains the first two quadrants, and the lower part contains the second two quadrants.
Most experts advise that you spend two minutes brushing your teeth. So, that means devoting about 30 seconds to each quadrant. Also, it’s important to use a toothbrush with bristles flexible enough to reach every nook and cranny of your mouth.
3. Floss again immediately after brushing
You read that right. It’s usually best to floss again after brushing.
It sounds like too much work, but the first floss only helped to loosen the food particles trapped between your teeth. The second floss comes after brushing and should eliminate anything your brushing and first flossing may have missed.
As good as your brush may be, it’s always possible that it may be unable to reach some spaces between your teeth. So, flossing a second time after you brush can give you that fresh and clean feeling you want.
Flossing twice a day is also imperative if you have braces. It will remove any trapped foot in the metal or between clear aligners.
4. Final oral care routine step: Use an anti-plaque mouthwash
Finally, rinse your mouth with an anti-plaque mouthwash. Do so for about 30 seconds, unless otherwise stated in the mouthwash directions.
The typical mouthwash is not designed to replace normal brushing and flossing. But it can further reach the difficult parts in your teeth that your brush and floss couldn’t get to.
An anti-plaque mouthwash will also help whiten your teeth and freshen your breath. It can also help to prevent gingivitis and protect your teeth from plaque.
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Wow, thought I was doing everything right. NOT! Didn’t know to floss BEFORE brushing and after as well. Thanks for the very useful information we can all benefit from. Keep up the great work Chris.
It means a lot to see you here 💞 Thank you for the encouragement!
Also, on my hygienist’s advice, I’m using an enamel building toothpaste every other brushing.
Ohhhh good tip!
I must admit, I don’t floss twice, but I guess I’d better!
Do your best, Dorothy. Even if it’s once, it’s certainly better than not at all xx