After years of doing it every day, the routine that goes into brushing and flossing your teeth can seem like second-nature. However, despite most people sticking to the dental hygiene practices that they learned early in life, issues like tooth decay and gum disease – which largely stem from inadequate dental hygiene – are still common. Today, we examine why, and give you a refresher course on what it means to practice truly “good” (and effective) dental hygiene.

The basic principles of dental hygiene

At its core, dental hygiene is the practice of keeping your teeth and gums clean of oral bacteria and the biofilm they constantly form (known as plaque). There are hundreds of different types of identifiable bacteria in a healthy mouth, and many of them contribute greatly to plaque formation every day. Some of the bacteria types are directly responsible for eroding healthy tooth enamel or infecting your gum tissues, and they can cause harm long before you realize there’s a problem. That’s why the best way to protect your smile and oral health is to consistently remove this plaque by brushing your teeth twice and flossing at least once, every single day.

The importance of being consistent

The need for consistency is one of the easiest aspects of good dental hygiene to overlook. If you’re especially consistent with caring for your smile, then it might seem like no big deal to skip brushing your teeth once in a while. Or, you may not pay close enough attention each time, leaving behind large amounts of plaque on your teeth even after brushing. The problem is that plaque is only removable for a short period of time. Before long, it can calcify into tartar (or calculus) and no longer be soluble to toothpaste and water. Once this occurs, harmful bacteria can have much more time to cause damage to your teeth and/or gums, and increase your risks of developing tooth decay, gum disease, and more.

When you emphasize good dental hygiene

When you slack in certain areas in your dental hygiene routine, your risks of experiencing dental health troubles will rise. This is largely why conditions like cavities and gum disease are so common. However, when you’re consistent with keeping bacteria off of your teeth and away from your gum line, you can enjoy a much healthier, natural smile for life. Reducing your risks of experiencing oral health concerns also lowers your risks of needing more extensive dental treatment later, which will make caring for your smile much more successful and convenient in the long run.

Keep your smile healthy with better hygiene

Most people have practiced dental hygiene for most of their lives, but not everyone practices “good” dental hygiene every day. For more information about how to practice better dental hygiene, schedule a consultation by calling the Dental Centre of Conroe in Conroe, TX, today at (936) 441-4600. We serve patients from Conroe and all neighboring communities.