In celebration of National Dental Hygiene Month, Columbus dentist Dr. Albert Caves and his staff remind us of the importance of maintaining good oral health as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.
Our dental health can have an affect- good and bad- on our physical well being, raising the risk of a variety of health issues including cardiovascular disease. Healthy teeth and gums not only brighten our smile, they are also supporting our overall condition.
Long term oral health depends largely on two important things:
- Regular preventive care visits
- Daily oral hygiene routine that includes brushing and flossing
Practicing both of these goes a long way toward preventing the development of complex dental problems that may require restorative procedures to fix. Routine visits with Dr. Caves and his staff give them the opportunity to spot developing dental problems in their early stages when conservative measures are effective.
Oral Hygiene Tips:
- Brush twice a day with a soft bristled tooth brush: checkout 2x2min.org for some fun tips for kids to encourage daily tooth brushing.
- Floss once a day between all teeth to remove trapped food particles and reduce tartar build up.
- Rinse with water or chew sugarless gum after a meal to reduce bacteria in the mouth that produce plaque.
During routine visits, Dr. Caves and his staff will make recommendations for at home care to address any oral health issues and they may suggest an additional cleaning for patients with gum disease to avoid larger problems down the road. These are all preventive measures to reduce the need for more extensive dental treatment later on. Maintaining the integrity of the natural teeth is the focus of modern dentistry and has proven important in helping patients to have a good quality of life as they age.