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Some Dental Tips this Stamford Dentist Embraces
Throughout our lives, we will see an average of five or six different dentists. Here at the Stein Dental Group, we would ideally like to care for patients for life, but people move in and out of the Stamford, CT area all the time. Of course, every dentist has different opinions on how to best take care of our teeth, so sometimes conflicting data can come into play. The excellent dentists here in Stamford, Connecticut have put together a series of tips on how to best take care of one’s teeth when away from the dentist’s chair. We’ve all heard the importance of brushing twice per day, but one of the keys according to our Stamford, CT dentists is to make sure to take at least five to seven minutes to make sure that every tooth is brushed thoroughly and all areas are cleaned. Fluoride toothpaste is a must as is a soft bristled toothbrush. The key is to not be too abrasive on teeth, but rather to focus on going for thoroughness. The toothbrush is supposed to be held at a slight angle and to be brushed back and forth using short strokes. Too many people use wide strokes and end up missing parts of the chewing surface, which Stamford, CT dentists say is the most important part to brushing one’s teeth well. Another important tip is to always brush the tongue. This is particularly helpful to get rid of food remnants and acids that remain in the mouth and is important for helping with bad breath. Brushing too hard can be counter-productive by irritating the gums. Another key is to replace the toothbrush every two hundred brushes, or basically every three or four months. It’s always best to err on the side of caution here, say dentists at the Stein Dental Group. A toothbrush with fatigued bristles won’t do much good, so it’s critical to be changing them when they begin to wear down. Even better, our dentists recommend, is to now invest in an electric toothbrush. The technology has advanced beyond a novelty and can do the job better than the average person who may be tired or distracted while brushing. Brushing consistently is critical and an electric toothbrush can help immensely according to Stamford, CT dentists. Just as important as brushing is flossing. Almost everyone brushes their teeth everyday, but researchers estimate that only 28% of people floss everyday. It’s critical to do because it’s the only way to reach tight spaces in between teeth and the important spaces near the gums. The proper way to floss is to use a 1-inch piece of floss between your thumb and forefinger to gently pull the floss from the gum line to the top of the tooth to scrape off plaque. It is important to rub the floss against all sides of the tooth and unwind to fresh floss as you move on to the next tooth. The most important thing, according to the dentists at the Stein Medical Group, is to stick with a plan to floss everyday. Too many people start flossing after a pep talk after a trip to the dentist’s office, but without a routine and a plan to do it everyday they lose track and it loses its effectiveness. Of course some flossing is better than none, but to have truly good dental health it has to be an everyday occurrence.