{"id":492,"date":"2023-10-04T17:39:44","date_gmt":"2023-10-04T17:39:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/?p=492"},"modified":"2025-04-30T13:01:55","modified_gmt":"2025-04-30T13:01:55","slug":"oral-hygiene-habits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/oral-hygiene-habits\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Oral Hygiene Habits to Improve the Health of Your Smile"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"508\" src=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/AdobeStock_602924098__1698849670_86386.jpg\" alt=\"woman brushing her teeth\" class=\"wp-image-493\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5748031496062993;width:308px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/AdobeStock_602924098__1698849670_86386.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/AdobeStock_602924098__1698849670_86386-300x191.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/AdobeStock_602924098__1698849670_86386-768x488.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Maintaining good oral hygiene requires developing healthy habits early on. This is why many dentists encourage parents to bring their children in for their first visit before they reach the age of one. However, over time, morning and nighttime rituals may become more relaxed, especially as schedules become busier. If you have fallen out of the routine of taking proper care of your smile, here are three <a href=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/preventive-dentistry.html\">oral hygiene habits<\/a> to adopt during National Dental Hygiene Month in October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make Sure You\u2019re Brushing a Full Two Minutes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you think rushing through your brushing routine will be enough to combat cavities, you\u2019re wrong. Dentists recommend that you set a time for two minutes and do not stop brushing until your time is up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This ensures that each quadrant receives the appropriate amount of attention, as bacteria can easily settle on the surfaces of teeth as well as around the gumline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Using fluoride toothpaste can help to strengthen this outer layer of enamel while also alleviating the potential of decay. That is if you make sure to brush for a full two minutes. If you need help, you can purchase an electric toothbrush, as many come with timers, or you can use a stopwatch or your smartphone to keep track of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Forget to Floss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Flossing is just as important as regular brushing. However, too many people tend to \u201cforget\u201d this step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bacteria and food particles can easily become trapped between teeth, resulting in an increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Without proper removal, it can begin to break down enamel and irritate soft oral tissues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you choose to use traditional floss, a water irrigator, or pre-made flossers, ensuring this step is something you perform at least once a day is essential for better oral health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Complete Your Routine with Mouthwash<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The final step of any good oral hygiene routine is using mouthwash. Finding one that has the ADA seal of approval and targets tooth decay can be a great addition. Not only will you finish your morning or nighttime routine with fresher breath, but you\u2019ll feel more confident knowing that your smile is better protected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of mouthwash as the final rinse you can give your mouth that eliminates anything brushing and flossing leaves behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t continue to put your oral and overall health at risk. Consider incorporating these three helpful tips into your daily routine and start seeing a more beautiful smile that lasts throughout the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>21<sup>st<\/sup> Century Dental of Irving offers the finest oral care services available. Led by Drs. Jeff Roy, Ashley Bristow, and Jonni Kumar, the staff ensures that each patient enjoys effective care and sincere courtesy in a friendly and calming environment. Areas of expertise include general, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as denture services. To schedule your next dental checkup, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/contact-us.html\">contact the office online<\/a> or dial <strong>(972) 255-3712<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Maintaining good oral hygiene requires developing healthy habits early on. This is why many dentists encourage parents to bring their children in for their first visit before they reach the age of one. However, over time, morning and nighttime rituals may become more relaxed, especially as schedules become busier. If you have fallen out of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-492","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Oral Hygiene Habits | Cavities |21st Century Dental of Irving | Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you want to take better care of your smile, here are 3 oral hygiene habits you can adopt during National Dental Hygiene Month in October.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/oral-hygiene-habits\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Oral Hygiene Habits | Cavities |21st Century Dental of Irving | Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you want to take better care of your smile, here are 3 oral hygiene habits you can adopt during National Dental Hygiene Month in October.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/oral-hygiene-habits\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"21st Century Dental of Irving | Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-04T17:39:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-30T13:01:55+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.21stcenturydental.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/AdobeStock_602924098__1698849670_86386.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta 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