Do you perform your daily oral hygiene routine on autopilot?
Have you ever examined your routine and thought maybe there is room for improvement?
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) determined four essential steps for protection against tooth decay and gum disease — these steps are known as The Daily Four.
Article Table of Contents:
We have all heard that brushing is vital to good oral health.
Brushing two minutes, twice daily is the foundation for good dental hygiene.
Proper brushing is essential for cleaning teeth and gums effectively.
However, there is more to dental hygiene than brushing twice a day.
For complete oral care of your mouth by doing the “Daily 4."
These four steps are vital to maintaining good oral health.
These habits will benefit your oral health and your overall health.
The four components of The Daily 4 are:
Brush. Two minutes. Two times a day. Two in-depth brushing sessions will reduce plaque and decrease your risk of cavities and gingivitis.
Floss. A once daily will remove plaque and food beneath the gums and between teeth (where tooth decay and gum disease often starts)
Rinse. – Swishing mouthwash for a full 30 seconds (not including gargling afterward) will kill plaque and gingivitis germs that brushing and flossing leave behind.
Chew. A piece of sugar-free gum after eating or drinking will help produce saliva, which battles cavities, neutralizes plaque, strengthens enamel, and removes remaining food particles from your teeth.
For a more in-depth look, click here to for the how-to breakdown from the ADHA.
It all goes back to good oral hygiene.
Visiting the dentist gets you clean teeth, of course, but you need to maintain clean and healthy teeth at home between your appointments.
With a concept like The Daily Four, you are introducing good oral health care habits into your day-to-day routine.
This means you are improving not just your oral health, but also your overall health.
The body and the mouth are not separate.
Your body can affect your mouth, and vice versa.
Taking care of both is essential.
Are you already implementing The Daily Four into your oral hygiene routine daily?
If so, that's a great start to excellent oral health.
At-home oral care is great, but you do still need to visit the dentist at least twice a year.
Schedule your next routine appointment with an office that takes gentle approaches to dental treatments and puts the comfort of patients as their number one priority.
If you live in the greater Cleveland area and are ready to schedule an appointment with us at Hylan Dental Care, click the button below to get started.
