Most people believe that brushing teeth and visiting your dentist now and then is enough. Unfortunately, believing those are enough for proper oral and dental care is a mistake.
Research shows that more than 80 percent of people develop at least a cavity by the time they reach 34 years old. That just shows that most people are still doing something wrong. Sure, genetics might play a role as to whether a person is going to get cavities but there are other factors.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that people make when it comes to oral hygiene. You can ask any dentist or orthodontist in your area and they would say the same things.
1. Not Brushing at Night
Most people would brush in the morning after waking up, mainly to get rid of the bad breath. That’s a good thing but many tend to forget about brushing at night before they sleep. This is a mistake because there is plenty of food debris stuck between the teeth from eating all day. The bacteria in your mouth can feed off the debris and cause tooth decay.
2. Brushing Too Hard
It’s easy to believe that harder brushing does a better job of cleaning teeth and gums. That’s not entirely true because hard brushing can cause enamel abrasion and can cause the gums to recede, which can cause even more problems. So, when you’re brushing your teeth, you should take it easy.
3. Not Brushing Long Enough
Not brushing long enough can leave the tartar deposits on your teeth. That means they can still do their damage. Rushing the brushing process can also mean that you will miss some teeth in the back where dental cavities usually form.
4. Not Flossing
Using mouthwash is a great part of your oral hygiene and you should include it in yours. But it should not replace flossing by any means. You still need the mechanical cleaning provided by flossing to remove the pieces of food stuck between the teeth.
Not properly flossing can also be a problem. While using a floss pick is better than not flossing at all, using traditional floss is recommended since it can be better at removing pieces of food stuck in the mouth.
5. Stopping the Flossing Because of Bleeding Gums
Some people stop flossing because their gums start bleeding. That’s understandable because bleeding gums can be worrying but in reality that should be taken as a sign that there is a need for even more flossing.
Bleeding gums is a sign of unhealthy gums and by flossing more, you can make your gums become healthier and become less prone to bleeding.
These are just some of the more common oral hygiene mistakes that people make today.
Proper oral hygiene is sometimes ignored and that’s the reason why so many people are still developing dental cavities and other dental problems today. It’s about time that you level up and stop making these oral health mistakes that you are making.
