5 Steps to a Healthy Smile

McClellan Orthodontics

A healthy smile often means having beautiful teeth. Healthy teeth promote good physical well-being because dental health is connected to physical health in many ways. A mouth full of bacteria may be ingested into the body and cause problems for your heart, liver, and other organs. Optimum oral health is the first step to achieving overall wellness. Thus, it is important to always maintain a healthy smile.

One of the easiest things we can do to improve our health in 2021 is to create a healthy oral hygiene routine. Most of us know that we need to brush our teeth every day, but what does a complete oral health routine look like?

The mouth is constantly exposed to food and bacteria, so the best thing to do is to practice good oral health care habits. Here are the 5 steps to a healthy smile:

1. Brush after every meal. This ensures that your mouth is clean and rid of cavity-causing bacteria that tend to stay on the teeth. Brushing should take at least 2 minutes to complete. This means that the upper and the lower teeth must be brushed for 1 minute each. Brushing does not only prevent tooth decay but also bad breath, gum disease, and many other dental problems.

2. Change Your Toothbrush. An easily avoidable habit we can change is to switch out our toothbrush every 3-4 months. Look at the bristles. If they are frayed, they will not clean teeth as thoroughly.

3. Floss every day. Flossing is an essential step in any oral hygiene routine. Flossing every day is even more important when you have braces. If you are having trouble flossing, ask us how to use a floss threader.

4. Get deep cleanings from your general dentists twice-a-year. The teeth have grooves and ridges that may be hard to clean, even with daily brushing and flossing. With regular deep cleanings by your general dentist, plaque is prevented from hardening and turning into a substance known as tartar. Once tartar is formed, you have a high susceptibility to gum disease and many other dental concerns.

5. Use mouthguards during sports activities. This ensures that your teeth are protected from trauma during contact sports like football, soccer, basketball, and many more. Mouthguards are custom-fitted mouth appliances that protect both the lips and teeth from damage and injuries during sports.

Located in Kenilworth, Illinois, our top priority at McClellan Orthodontics is to provide our patients with the highest quality orthodontic care in a friendly, comfortable environment. If you have any questions about orthodontic treatment or your oral health care routine, please do not hesitate to contact us or schedule a consultation.