708-422-1900 The American Dental Association advocates a consistent daily oral hygiene routine for the prevention of cavities and periodontal disease. This starts with always brushing your teeth each morning and night with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. This should be followed up by making a conscious effort to thoroughly floss between your teeth and along the gumline at least once each day.
This can help reduce the presence of plaque acids in your mouth to help prevent the tooth enamel demineralization that leads to tooth decay. At the same time a consistent oral hygiene routine helps these bacterial deposits before they can harden into tartar. This will further reduce your chances of suffering from cavities and periodontal health problems.
Some people find that there are some places that prove hard to clean with brushing and flossing. This could be behind the back molars, the contours of a specific tooth or near the gumline.
In a situation like this you might want to try using quality water flossing device like the American Dental Association-approved Waterpik®. This can be particularly helpful for thoroughly cleaning hard to reach places. However, it cannot replace the physical effectiveness of dental floss for removing bacterial deposits and food from between teeth. Â
If you live in the Oak Lawn, Illinois, area and you have oral hygiene concerns, you can always call 708-422-1900 to speak with a dentist like Dr. Pallotto or Dr. Osmolinski, or a staff member at Oak Dental Associates.