Could Your Oral Hygiene Be Better?

Taking good care of your smile is an ongoing process, and your daily hygiene routine is the cornerstone of that process. While most people are aware of that, not everyone understands just how significant their hygiene routine is, or what exactly a good routine entails. At our Encinitas/San Diego periodontal office, good hygiene education is an important focus of the comprehensive care we provide. Whether you need to make improvements to prevent an oral health issue from developing, or you’re currently dealing with a condition such as gum disease, maintaining a consistently effective hygiene routine is paramount to maintaining your good oral health.

Things you need to know

• It’s about consistency – When most people think of good hygiene, the first thing they think of is brushing and flossing their teeth. This is important, but the thought usually stops there. Good hygiene isn’t just brushing and flossing your teeth; it’s doing it consistently, every day, without fail. Otherwise, the plaque on your teeth and gums will calcify into your tartar, and you won’t be able to brush or floss it away at all.
• You might still develop an issue – Oral health issues, like gum disease, are caused by harmful oral bacteria gathering en masse in the form of plaque and tartar. While consistently removing them with your toothbrush and floss keeps most of them at bay, there is still a chance that some will remain unnoticed and lead to gum disease. If so, then the best way to protect your oral health is to seek treatment as soon as possible, which leads us to our next important point.
• It requires close monitoring – Because you might not always get every trace of plaque and can still develop an issue despite your good hygiene efforts, it’s important to keep a close eye on your oral health with routine examination. Dental and periodontal checkups and cleanings will give your dentist or periodontist the chance to routinely check for signs of concern. For example, if your gums are red, inflamed, or receding from your teeth, then gingivitis (early gum disease) may have begun to develop. Prompt treatment can help you stop its progression, or in some cases, reverse it completely.

Learn how to improve your hygiene

Your hygiene routine plays an important part in your oral health as well as your quality of life. For more information on how you can make it better, schedule a consultation with Dr. Kania by calling her periodontal office in Encinitas/San Diego, CA, at (760) 642-0711.