Polish Up Your Dental Routine This Fall
Easy tips for building better brushing habits and beyond.
Goodbye, lazy hazy days of summer. 2022 has been a summer to remember, but with travel and events its been easy to put important routines on the back burner. So, as the days get shorter and school gets back in session, it’s time to get back to our routines and prioritize well-being. But we’ll be the first to admit: establishing a good routine is hard, and can take time and effort. How much time and effort did it take you to build the perfect morning skincare routine? Probably more than you’d like.
Well, we’ve got good news. Establishing a good oral care routine doesn’t have to be so difficult. Take it from veteran dental hygienist and educator Jo-Anne Jones: “With the right tools, good oral care doesn’t take long.” says Jones. And the consequences of careless oral hygiene go well beyond bad breath. It affects physical wellbeing, mental health, social connections and emotional self-confidence. A professional-approved program takes less than 10 minutes of your day, total. And thanks to new technology, it’s easier and more foolproof than ever.
Let your tools do the work
“With old toothbrushes, there’s so much room for human error,” says Jones, explaining why investing in the right tools is among the easiest and most important factors of good oral hygiene. “The Philips Sonicare Protective Clean 6100 gives you the confidence you’re maintaining good oral care routines.” says Jones, and it intuitively improves brushing bad habits. Do you tend to cut brushing time too short? This device times your two-minute brush and automatically shuts off when you’re all done. Often press too hard? Structure- and enamel-protecting sensors will warn you. Forget how often to change the brush head? It’ll remind you, so your bristles are always working the way you want them to. Furthermore, using the Sonicare Protective Clean for just one week reduces seven times more plaque than manual toothbrushes, whitens your teeth and boosts your overall oral health. Just imagine what it will do with habitual use.
Aside from brushing, flossing is imperative to good oral health, but let’s face it: many forgo (or “forget”) the daily duty. “It takes a lot of dexterity to do it right,” says Jones. With the Philips Sonicare Power Flosser, it’s easy to get all those hard-to-reach areas without the technique or discomfort of manual floss, making it a breeze to work in to your regular routine. It takes only a minute to do, and it’s so easy, it’s changed the game for flossing. Thanks to the cutting-edge Quad Stream technology, it gets between the teeth and removes up to 99.9% of the plaque in the areas it hits, which makes it your best bet for dental care between visits to the dentist. “Even as a dental professional, who’s been flossing her whole life, I felt the difference. I felt like I’d just had my teeth cleaned professionally,” says Jones. What’s more? Pulse wave technology guides you from tooth to tooth, allowing time to spit out water along the way. “Its power to dislodge particles is so strong that it outdoes manual flossing.”
Brush up on healthy habits
Now that you’ve got your tools in check, its all about establishing sustainable, healthy habits, because consistency is key! In general, you should always brush first thing in the morning (yes, even before you eat!) to remove bacteria that triggers tooth decay, and always brush your tongue. Brush twice a day for two minutes each, and always wait 30 minutes to brush after eating (this can actually break down enamel, and lead to hypersensitivity). Between brushings, rinse with water or chew xylitol gum to kill off cavity causing mouth bacteria. And at night, make sure you floss before you brush, and finish your routine with antibacterial or fluoride mouthwash.
“Gums are the protective barrier to the rest of your body,” Jones says, noting that gum inflammation can be the gateway to more sinister health issues by letting bacteria target your heart, lungs and brain. And let’s not forget the importance of good breath and a great smile when meeting new friends and reconnecting with old ones at school and in the office. In short, good dental care is key. So, if there’s one habit to prioritize and perfect this fall, it’s your oral hygiene.
