When it comes to your oral health, nothing is more important than maintaining good oral hygiene habits and making regular trips to your local dentist for comprehensive dental exams. At Constitution Dental in Downtown Ottawa, we pride ourselves on providing quality dental care for each of our patients, and our dentists are more than happy to be of assistance in any way we can. That being said, here are a few key tips to help patients stay on top of their oral hygiene at home in between teeth cleanings at our family dental clinic.

Brush Twice Per Day

Though it may be obvious to some, one of the best ways to avoid tooth cavities, gum infections, and other painful dental problems is to brush your teeth at least twice per day. And we don’t mean giving your pearly whites a quick rinse every now and then — you should be using a quality toothpaste and brushing your teeth thoroughly for two minutes every time. If you struggle to brush your teeth for this long, our dentists and dental hygienists recommend purchasing a small tooth brushing sand timer that you can set on your bathroom counter. Not only will this colorful little decoration help remind you to brush twice per day, but it will also help you brush for the full two minutes, reaching every crevice in your molars and behind the teeth.

Floss Daily

Some people absolutely despise dental floss, perhaps because they have sensitive gums that bleed easily or they simply don’t like the idea of extracting old food particles from between their teeth. Whatever the reason, it is incredibly important to floss your teeth every day so you don’t develop cavities — or even worse, gingivitis (early-stage gum disease). Food can easily get stuck between your teeth, especially popcorn kernels, fruit seeds, and stringy pieces of meat. If you don’t floss regularly, these tiny food particles begin to fester and eat away at the tooth enamel, causing cavities, tooth decay, and gum inflammation. For most people, having to make extra trips to the dental office for tooth fillings and gum disease treatments is more unpleasant than flossing your teeth every day, so do yourself a favor and remember to use dental floss!

Visit Your Family Dentist In Downtown Ottawa Twice Per Year

At the end of the day, there are some things that regular brushing and flossing can’t fix, like plaque that has built up and turned into tartar. This calcified deposit of bacteria must be removed by your dental hygienist, who uses a tooth scaler to scrape it away from the gum line so it can no longer eat away at the tooth enamel. If you are due for professional dental cleaning, contact Constitution Dental today or book an appointment with us online!