Have you been neglecting your oral health for years by avoiding the dentist’s office and forgetting to brush or floss? Not caring for your oral health can have very painful and significant consequences. Here are a few reasons why you should be more thorough in your dental hygiene routine.
Prevent Plaque from Forming
First, being more thorough with your dental hygiene routine will help you to prevent plaque from forming. Plaque can be difficult and bothersome to clean. Often, you’ll need to visit a dentist’s office to have them use their specialized, professional tools to remove plaque. Plaque is a clear, filmy bacteria that forms on your teeth due to food particles, sugars, and other bacteria in your mouth.
Plaque can cause gingivitis, dental caries, and periodontal disease, among other issues. As a result, having a lot of plaque on your teeth can cause you to develop cavities and infections. Flossing and brushing multiple times daily can help to prevent plaque, especially if you’re using an electric toothbrush.
Prevent Cavities
Next, being more thorough with your dental hygiene routine can help prevent cavities. Cavities can be expensive to have filled or removed. They can also be painful and sensitive. Worst of all, cavities can cause deterioration and infection when they aren’t treated properly. Your genetics might determine whether you’re more prone to developing cavities, but your dental habits can make a big difference in preventing cavities.
Make sure that you’re vigilant in brushing and flossing your teeth to prevent cavities, particularly if you have certain teeth that are weakened or more difficult to clean. Wisdom teeth can be more prone to cavities because they’re in the back of your mouth.
Prevent Painful Infections
Finally, being more thorough in your dental routine can help you to prevent painful oral infections. Having an infection in your teeth or gums can lead to a dental abscess, which is the build-up of pus in the infected area. If left untreated and unattended, some oral infections can even spread to your jaw bones, facial bones, neck, and other parts of your body. This can make you end up with painful and dangerous infections that will be quite extensive and risky to treat.
So, if you’re trying to improve your oral health, remember these tips for thorough dental habits. Make sure that you’re preventing plaque from forming, preventing cavities, and preventing painful infections. Taking care of your oral health doesn’t just have an aesthetic purpose, it can give you a better quality of life by preventing these issues.
Did you like this article? Here’s more to read: What to Know About Your Wisdom Teeth