Your friends at Kirchner Dental sure miss seeing you and all the rest of our awesome patients, but we care about protecting the health and safety of you and our dental team in Jeffersonville, IN. That’s why we’re following the CDC guidelines to slow the spread of coronavirus and only seeing patients who need emergency dental care for now.
But we’re still here to help you maintain healthy teeth and gums! Today, we’re offering some advice about getting the most out of your oral hygiene routine since you may need to wait longer than usual to visit us for your next checkup.
Oral Hygiene Tips For A Better Dental Checkup
While you wait for your next dental cleaning and exam, try these helpful tips for better oral hygiene at home and a more successful visit to Kirchner Dental:
*Brush When You First Wake Up*
While you’re fast asleep, harmful oral bacteria are hard at work. It feasts on microscopic particles and bits of food lodged between teeth, so by the time you wake up in the morning, the bacteria is spread all over your teeth.
Because of that, get into the habit of brushing your teeth first thing instead of waiting until after breakfast. Cleaning your mouth will get rid of bad bacteria and lower your risk for tooth decay and cavities.
*Don’t Brush Right After You Eat Lunch*
In mid-afternoon, many people are tempted to brush their teeth after lunch to keep their mouths fresh and clean. That’s admirable, but don’t make the mistake of brushing immediately after your meal. It’s one of the times throughout the day that your tooth enamel is vulnerable because it softens as you eat. Brushing too soon after could put you at risk for dental damage, so wait at least a half an hour after lunch, or instead, rinse your mouth with water or chew sugarless gum that contains xylitol to fight harmful acids created by bacteria.
*Add Flossing To Your Bedtime Routine*
Between eating dinner and going to bed, you’re probably going to do a little snacking. If you have kids, that stretch of time may seem even longer since the sun sets later in the spring, and they’re staying up a bit later, too, since they don’t have to wake up as early in the morning for school.
That means there’s never been a better time to make flossing your new habit, if it isn’t part of your daily oral hygiene routine already.
Brushing and flossing before you go to sleep is an effective way to clean food particles from your mouth so the bad bacteria that collects in there overnight has much less fuel to thrive.
We Look Forward To Seeing You!
Call Kirchner Dental today at 812-913-6093 or contact us online to schedule an appointment in Jeffersonville, IN. To honor the CDC guidelines in slowing the spread of COVID-19, we’re only treating dental emergencies for now. We wish nothing but the best health for you and your family and look forward to seeing you again very soon.
Stay safe!