Under normal circumstances, anyone who was about due for a dental cleaning and exam in the next few weeks would be in good shape. But in these unprecedented and uncertain times, it’s likely that many will have to wait a little longer than they’re used to between routine appointments with your Mount Laurel dentist, Dr. Chase.

But our team at Friendly Smiles Center are here to help you optimize your oral health while you wait it out with these helpful tips for improving your dental hygiene routine at home:

How To Improve Your Oral Hygiene Routine

Here are three small adjustments you can make to your daily brushing and flossing regimen that can make a big difference in preventing tooth decay and cavities:

*Consider Flossing Before Bed*

First, we want to encourage you to start flossing if you don’t do it on a daily basis already.
Studies do show that most adults skip this step, but it’s instrumental in ridding your mouth of food particles that bacteria will feed on, producing acids that eat through your tooth enamel.

Second, when you floss can make a difference. When you floss between teeth and around the gumline before you go to bed, you’re reducing the bad bacteria that will build up overnight.

*Brush Before Breakfast Instead Of After*

Even when your teeth are clean before you go to bed, oral bacteria will collect in your mouth as you sleep. Brushing and flossing at night will mitigate the amount, you will still wake up with bacteria spread over your teeth, and the last thing you should do is fuel it with your breakfast!

It’s better to brush your teeth as soon as you wake up so your morning coffee, juice, or toast doesn’t give harmful bacteria a power source to thrive inside your mouth that causes decay and cavities.

*After Lunch, Wait A Bit Before Brushing*

If you brush in the morning and at night, it’s not necessary that you always brush a third time in the middle of the day. But understandably, many people do throw in that extra round of teeth cleaning so their mouths are fresh and clean after lunch.

One thing to keep in mind is that your teeth are going to be softest after a meal, so to prevent damage to your enamel, you should wait about thirty minutes before brushing your teeth.

If that’s not realistic, then skip brushing, and rinse your mouth out with water instead.

You may also want to chew sugarless gum because it contains xylitol, an ingredient that fights harmful acids generated by oral bacteria.

We Look Forward To Your Next Appointment!

Call Friendly Smiles Center today at 856-359-4000 or fill out our online form to schedule your appointment in Mount Laurel, NJ.

For now, treating dental emergencies is the top priority in accordance with CDC guidelines regarding social distancing, so it may be longer than six months between usual dental checkups for many of our patients. That doesn’t mean your oral health has to suffer! We hope you find these tips helpful, and we look forward to seeing you again very soon!