3 Reasons Good Dental Hygiene Is So Important

You hear it all the time: good dental hygiene is crucial. What you might not know, though, is why it’s so important. Here, we offer three compelling reasons to take good care of your teeth.

• Good dental hygiene helps keep your teeth healthy. This one may seem obvious, but it’s an important fact. Whether or not you get cavities is partially dependent on your genetics, but when you brush, floss, and rinse daily, you’re doing your part to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Brush your teeth twice a day and floss and rinse at least once, to remove plaque, prevent tooth decay, and stimulate your gums.
• Regular dental visits can provide disease detection. When you go every six months, your dentist can discover issues that affect more than just your mouth. With a thorough examination, many problems and diseases can be detected, including vitamin deficiencies, acid reflux, tooth grinding, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart trouble, dementia, oral cancers, and even mental health issues.
• When you care for your mouth, you prevent disease in your whole body. When your mouth is infected, that infection can spread and lead to bigger health concerns than cavities. For instance, gingivitis, a common inflammation of the gums, can turn into periodontitis, which can cause tooth loss. Infections that spread from your mouth have been linked to issues like asthma, arthritis, premature birth and low-birthweight babies, respiratory ailments, coronary artery disease, and stroke. Left untreated, tooth and gum disease can even be fatal.

So what do you need to do to reap all of the benefits of good dental hygiene? Start by eating a nutrient-dense diet and avoiding snacks full of sugar and processed carbohydrates. Don’t smoke or use any other tobacco products. Rinse your mouth out after each meal, or chew sugarless gum. Brush your teeth for two minutes, twice a day, using a medium-bristled brush, fluoride toothpaste, and small, circular, back and forth motions. Floss at least once a day, and rinse with an anti-microbial fluoride mouthwash. Finally but perhaps most important of all, see your dentist every six months for a cleaning and exam.

If you’re looking for a dentist in Hazlet, New Jersey, you can trust Glenwood Premier Dental to meet your needs. At Glenwood Premier Dental, we believe that a healthy, confident smile is an important part of a happy and healthy lifestyle. Our staff of caring professionals is committed to offering a wide range of dental services, exceeding our patients’ expectations, and providing the best possible service. We offer dental exams and teeth cleanings, implant dentistry, Invisalign, laser dentistry, teeth whitening, veneers, and more, using state of the art technology in a comfortable and friendly environment. If you’re looking for dental care in Hazlet, contact us through our website or call 732.264.4477 for more information.