Brushing and flossing are two critical components of your oral hygiene routine, but did you know there are other essential elements? To best maintain your oral health, keep your teeth and gums disease-free and follow these steps shared by our Kanata dentists.

Brushing

One of the most important things you can do every day to maintain your oral health is to brush your teeth, at least two or three times a day, for two minutes each time.

For ideal results, brush each "quadrant" of your teeth (upper right, upper left, lower right, lower left) for 30 seconds. Carefully brush all the exposed surfaces of your teeth, including the fronts, backs and biting surfaces of each tooth.

Tip: Try an Electric Toothbrush

You may find it easier to clean your teeth with an electric toothbrush, which will require less effort than manual brushes since they perform the correct brushing movement for you. Choose an electric toothbrush with a round, rotating head, as this will perform the ideal circular brushing motion.

Also, since the head is quite small, you'll have an easier time cleaning those awkward, hard-to-reach spots such as your back molars and the backs of your front teeth.

Flossing

Floss at least once a day, preferably before going to bed at night. This will reach the places your toothbrush can't reach, to dislodge food debris and built-up plaque from between your teeth.

Insert the floss between two teeth and run it up and down the side of each, pulling it into a “c” shape in both directions. Proceed slowly and thoroughly, and be sure to floss between every two teeth.

Professional Dental Cleanings & Check-ups

Visiting the dentist every six months for a dental cleaning and check-up is essential to maintaining oral health.

Your dentist has the expertise and tools required to remove plaque and tartar build-up that you can't remove yourself with brushing and flossing.

Your dentist will also be able to identify dental problems in the beginning stages if they see you often enough, and treat them before they get worse. Oral health problems like cavities, gum disease and even tumours, cysts and other abnormalities are often not noticeable to the untrained eye in their early stages, so it's important to get your mouth evaluated regularly by a dental professional.

Diet

Eating a healthy diet that’s rich in calcium helps keep your teeth healthy from the inside out. Restrict consumption of sugars and starches, because oral bacteria thrive on these.

Hydration

Staying hydrated can help prevent cavities! Drinking plenty of water will help you maintain a sufficient saliva flow, and saliva washes away the food particles that collect on your teeth and allow bacteria to multiply.

Supplementary Hygiene Aids

Oral hygiene aids are additions to your brushing and flossing routine. Good examples of supplementary hygiene aids include tongue cleaners, mouthwash, interdental cleaners, and oral irrigators.

These aids can help you keep your breath fresh, and prevent plaque from building up between brushing and flossing sessions. While they are not sufficient replacements for a thorough brushing and flossing routine, they can help improve it.

What are the components of a good brushing and flossing routine?