Oral Care Routine
MORE THAN TEETH CLEANING
Healthy Teeth Are One Part of a Healthy Mouth
Your physical health is an important component of your overall wellbeing. And physical health includes your mouth! So if you’re working to maintain a healthier lifestyle, put the money where your mouth is. Make the effort for a proper teeth cleaning. Spend the time as part of your complete oral care routine.
Twice a year, visit your dentist for a professional teeth cleaning. When you’re not at the dentist, do what you can to ensure you maintain healthy teeth. Take care of them! Brush twice daily and floss at least once a day. Watch for discoloured teeth (a sign of possible tooth decay) and inflamed/bleeding gums (a sign of possible gum disease).
Healthy food contains nutrients that can help against cavities and gingivitis. Sugars and acidic foods can cause cavities and gingivitis. So load up on the former, limit the latter.
Avoid chewing or smoking tobacco. These habits affect the natural biology of your gums, stain your teeth and contribute to bad breath.
In addition to brushing teeth and flossing, a complete oral care routine should include an antiseptic mouthwash such as LISTERINE®. Consider it an essential step in the process.
How Should You Be Brushing Teeth?
Hold the toothbrush bristles where your gums and teeth meet. At a 45-degree angle, move your brush in circular, massaging motions, up and down. Be gentle! Brushing too harshly can cause your gums to become irritated and recede. Spend about two minutes on teeth cleaning, and try to reach the entire tooth surface. Good. Now you’ve tidied up about 25% of your mouth. Next:
Healthy Teeth Need Flossing
You’ve only addressed about two thirds of the tooth surface by brushing teeth. To get the other third, hold floss in a C-shape around each tooth, and scoop and lift from bottom (under the gum line) to top, two or three times. Gently! We promise flossing isn’t so bad once you get the hang of it!
Last But Not Least: Rinse with LISTERINE®
To complete the trifecta of teeth cleaning, add an easy and refreshing step at the end. Rinse with LISTERINE® Antiseptic to reach the 75% of your mouth that brushing and flossing alone can miss. This simple, enjoyable activity kills up to 99.9% of germs in your mouth that contribute to plaque, gingivitis and bad breath. Spend 30 seconds swishing, then spit out.
Try incorporating an antiseptic rinse into your oral care routine twice a day. The Canadian Dental Association validates that adding LISTERINE® prevents gingivitis better than brushing & flossing alone, so give it a swish!