Happy Dental Hygiene Month!

With all the Halloween candy, pumpkin pie, and other sweet treats popular in Fall, you may be surprised to hear that October is Dental Hygiene Month. However, no matter what month it is, it never hurts to re-evaluate your dental heath routine.

Many of the oral health problems we see could have been prevented with a little bit of extra care. At Union Square Oral Surgery, we care about your smile. To help your smile last far beyond this Dental Hygiene Month, we’ve compiled a few tips to help you improve your oral health routine.

Don’t Forget to Floss!
It can be hard to remember to floss every single day, especially for patients with busy schedules. Try stashing some floss or floss picks in your desk or purse. Having floss handy will allow you to floss as soon as you remember. If you still forget, try setting an alarm to remind you. Before bed is the best time to floss, but flossing at any time is better than not flossing at all!

Check Your Brushing and Flossing Form
Rushing your brushing and flossing can give you a false sense of security. While sometimes genetics increases your likelihood of getting cavities or experiencing other oral health problems, poor brushing and flossing habits can also lead to tooth damage.

For Brushing: Remember – two minutes, twice a day. Be sure to brush all sides of your teeth, including the way back corners. Keep yourself from rushing by using a timer. Some electric toothbrushes even have a built-in timer that buzzes once your two minutes is up. Over brushing can damage gums, so use a soft-bristled brush with medium to light pressure (the bristles should not be bent after just a few uses). These easy changes can help your teeth feel so much cleaner!

For Flossing: Guide the floss into place gently, without snapping the floss into your gums. Pull the floss until it is curved against the side of your tooth. Using small movements up and down, scrape away any leftover food or plaque, moving away from the gums. Try to use a clean part of the floss for each section, and don’t forget to floss behind the last tooth.

Get Regular Dental Checkups
Many of the problems oral surgeons encounter could have been prevented if they were noticed sooner, but some issues do not have symptoms in early stages. Seeing your dentist every six months ensures that you catch problems early and avoid unnecessary complications later on.

We hope these tips help your smile stay bright for years to come, and have a great Dental Hygiene Month! Call our office to hear more about tooth restoration options or to schedule a consultation.