Heart Health: Don't Neglect Dental Care

Keeping your teeth clean is not difficult to remember, afford, or execute as long as you're consistent. Maintaining a good oral health routine won't prevent you from needing to have some dental work performed from time to time, and you also need to visit your dentist as recommended, but brushing properly will prevent tooth decay, gum disease and other serious issues. On the other hand, there are countless people who head to their bathrooms each day and go through the motions, but they aren't getting their teeth completely clean. If you experience any of the four items listed below, you should probably make some corrections to your oral hygiene routine so that your oral health can improve.

1. Persistent Bad Breath - Often, brushing your teeth or eating a mint will freshen your breath up right away. Other times, adjustments have to be made to your diet and fluid intake to help alleviate bad breath. People who experience bad breath because of improper oral care can make headway by using mouthwash or brushing their teeth more thoroughly. Be sure that you brush your tongue, use floss to get leftover particles of food out of your mouth, and gargle with mouthwash so that bad breath doesn't impact your life negatively.

2. Plaque Buildup - Using a toothbrush that has soft bristles or failing to brush your teeth long enough can cause a buildup of plaque to form on your teeth. Most dentists offer their patients free toothbrushes and toothpaste with every visit, but you are also going to need to replace your toothbrush on a regular basis. Brush your teeth for a few minutes every day, paying attention to all of them carefully in order to eliminate plaque from accumulating on your teeth.

3. Dry Mouth Issues - After cleaning your teeth, your mouth should feel both hydrated and refreshed. Dry mouth issues can indicate that there's an imbalance inside of your mouth, necessitating you to make change to your oral care habits. You and your dentist can explore what can be done to eliminate dry mouth and better protect your teeth and gums.

4. Comments From Your Dentist - When your dentist asks you questions about how often you brush or even what brand of oral hygiene products you usually use, it's not because he or she is trying to hurt your feelings. Simply put, your dentist's job is to maintain good oral health and solve any minor problems noticed before they get out of hand. 

If you're not sure whether your oral health habits are up to par, consult a dentist like Dr. Jon Douglas Lesan, DDS, RpH, PA.