Basic care of our mouth doesn’t have to be hard! It can easily become part of our daily routine, with some simple, minor adjustments. Here is a basic checklist to see how you are doing.
Brushing and Flossing
–Do I brush my teeth for a full 2 minutes*, twice a day?
–Do I floss once a day, for the full 2-3 minutes*?
*If not, consider setting a timer.
— Do I brush the inside, outside, AND chewing surfaces of my teeth?
–Do I use single-filament, ADA-approved dental floss, or other ADA approved interdental
cleaner?
–Do I break off an 18” piece of floss, and use a new section of floss for each tooth?
–Do I floss behind my back molars?
–Do I chew sugarless gum after eating to stimulate saliva flow and clean my teeth?
Eating Well
–Do I frequently eat sugary, sticky foods, such as taffy, dried fruit, or caramel?
–Do I frequently drink acidic drinks, such as sports drinks, soda, wine, or citrus juice?
–Do I frequently drink or eat foods that will stain my teeth, such as red wine or coffee?
–Do I fill my diet with calcium-rich foods such as cheese, dark leafy greens, milk, and
beans?
–Do I eat plenty of fruits and vegetables?
–Do I drink water frequently?
As you use this itemized checklist, it will be easy to see ways you can improve your oral health before your next visit–of course, be sure you are getting those completed every 6 months or so! If you are in the Elk Grove, California area, be sure to call E.G.I. Dental at 916-683-1994 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Warren Cheung today!
