Since you’re reading this blog, you must value good oral health and you may also want your smile to look sensational. At Metro Dental Care in Denver, our team of dentists, hygienists, and assistants will help you achieve and maintain a strong, gorgeous smile. There are plenty of ways you can support their efforts at home and on the go. 

In today’s blog, you’ll learn eight oral health tips to keep your mouth healthy, smile beautiful, and breath fresh. Be sure to call our office at 303-534-2626 to schedule six-month checkups and cleanings, and also give us a ring if you notice any abnormalities in your oral health or would like to learn about cosmetic dentistry.

Now, let’s dive into those oral health tips!

Tighten up your daily dental health routine

Every morning, brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. If your teeth aren’t bright, opt for whitening toothpaste, and if your teeth are sensitive, try a desensitizing paste, like Sensodyne. 

You should brush for two minutes and follow up with antibacterial mouthwash. Add a tongue scraper to your dental care arsenal to remove plaque and food debris from the rough surface of your tongue.

After dinner and before bed, repeat the morning routine but add flossing. If traditional dental floss seems awkward and difficult to use, try disposable, threaded flossers. (Keep flossers in your bag for on-the-go cleanup after meals.)

Neglecting twice-a-day dental care at home will lead to a buildup of plaque and calcified plaque, called tartar or calculus, which is hard to remove at home. Over time, this buildup will irritate gum tissue, setting the stage for gum disease to develop. You may also experience bad breath and tooth decay.

Prioritize periodontal health

“Periodontal” means gums, so “periodontal health” simply means gum health. You probably don’t think about gum health, even when brushing your teeth. However, healthy gums are imperative to the support and function of our teeth. Daily flossing helps keep gums healthy, but if your gums bleed when you brush, or they become red, swollen, or sensitive, you may have developed gum disease. 

At your six-month dental cleaning, the hygienist can tell you if gingivitis (early-stage gum disease) is present. If so, you’ll need a deep dental cleaning. This treatment involves removing tartar from below the gum line and smoothing teeth roots. We call it scaling and root planing.

Gum disease is the primary cause of adult tooth loss, and it increases a person’s risk for many health problems, like heart disease, respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, diabetes complications, and low-weight births. If you have gingivitis, it’s important to schedule a deep cleaning and be diligent with daily dental home care, including flossing.

Avoid emergencies

Some dental emergencies cannot be avoided, but we have a few oral health tips that may help you avoid dental emergencies. If you practice good oral health habits and attend six-month checkups and cleanings in our Denver dental office, you will deter the potential for acute toothaches. 

Also, wear a mouthguard during sports practices and games to protect your teeth from injury. If you or your child experience a dental emergency, give us a call at 303-534-2626 for a next-available or same-day appointment.

Brighten your smile

Dingy tooth enamel looks unattractive and unhealthy. Daily brushing helps to reduce stains, but if coffee, tea, red wine, or dark foods leave your teeth looking yellowed or brownish, try professional teeth whitening. We perform in-office whitening and offer take-home kits with a more potent percentage of whitening agent than whitening products available over the counter. 

Ask for cosmetic restorations

If you need a filling, crown, or bridge, ask the dentist for all-white, metal-free options. We offer all-white fillings, as well as porcelain or zirconia restorations and prosthetics. These durable, tooth-colored, nature-mimicking restorations will keep your smile white and beautiful. 

Seek a second opinion

When a dentist tells you that you need crowns, extractions, root canal therapy, or TMJ therapy and you disagree with the diagnosis, it’s absolutely understandable for you to seek a second opinion. Dentists have different philosophies about treatment, and a conservative dentist may try to salvage teeth that a more liberal dentist may want to extract.

Another example is crowns. If your dentist doesn’t offer what we call inlays, onlays, or three-quarter crowns, you can expect more liberal tooth preparation than what’s necessary. Prepping a tooth for a crown is more invasive than prepping a tooth for an inlay or onlay. 

Inlays and onlays are partial crowns; they cover one or more cusps on the chewing surface of a tooth and can extend down the side of the tooth.

At Metro Dental Care in Denver, our dentists want to preserve as much healthy tooth structure as possible when preparing and restoring teeth.

If you grind, keep this in mind

Teeth grinding, clenching, and gnashing–which we call bruxism–wear down tooth enamel and can cause teeth to fracture or develop crazing (fine, weblike surface cracks). During an exam, the dentist may notice that you grind your teeth, or your roommate may hear you grinding your teeth while sleeping. We can restore damage caused by bruxism and fit you for a night guard to protect your teeth while you sleep.

Fresh breath is a breath of fresh air

When it comes to oral health tips, we can’t neglect to discuss bad breath. Halitosis, or bad breath, can get in the way of conversations. No one wants to endure smelly breath, and oftentimes a person doesn’t even know they have bad breath. If you’ve been told that you have halitosis or you suspect it, talk with one of our dentists or hygienists.

Bad breath can stem from tooth decay, abscesses, plaque, tartar, or eating odiferous foods. In some cases, a gut issue is to blame. Whatever the cause, we can help you find a product or solution to beat bad breath at its source. 

Call Us Today for Your Dental Appointment

We love our patients! These oral health tips are only a fraction of what you will learn from our dentists, hygienists, and assistants. We welcome questions and prioritize patient education. Located in Denver, Metro Dental Care is accepting new patients and invites you to schedule your six-month checkups and cleanings with us. Call 303-534-2626 today.