Starting and Keeping Good Oral Hygiene Habits

Starting habits for the things you should can sometimes be difficult. However, a good oral hygiene habit is vital for your oral and overall health. Garrison Family Dentistry of Smithville, MO is offering their patients some tips for starting and keeping a good oral hygiene habit.

When starting a habit, visual reminders can be a great help. For the sake of ease, we will use the example of flossing every day. Say you want to floss every night before bed. Try keeping the floss out on your bathroom counter so that you see it every night. Another good idea is sticking a note to your bathroom mirror.

Routines are also good ways of getting into habits. Make sure to floss every night when you brush your teeth. This way, you will begin to get used to doing it every night.

Create a reward chart. Have a party coming up? Tell yourself you can buy a new pair of shoes or a new dress shirt for the party only if you floss your teeth every night for three weeks. If you do not complete the challenge, you do not get the reward.

Oral health is important for keeping strong, healthy teeth and gum tissues. For more help with oral hygiene, contact Garrison Family Dentistry of Smithville, MO by calling our office at (816) 532-8778 or by visiting our website, www.garrisondentistry.com. 

Are You Flossing?

There are several options for cleaning between your teeth. You might choose to use dental floss or another product made specifically for this purpose like a dental pick, pre-threaded flosser, tiny brushes that reach between the teeth, etc. At Garrison Family Dentistry Dr. Matthew Garrison wants patients to know that it doesn’t matter what you use to floss (as long as it isn’t anything crazy) he just wants them to know that the most important thing about flossing is to do it.

Dental floss dislodges food particles trapped between the teeth and under the gums where toothbrushes can’t reach. Left untreated, bacterial build-up can lead to bad breath, cavities, and gum disease. Tips for fabulous flossing include: wrapping 18 to 24 inches of dental floss around your index and middle fingers. Then hold it tightly around each tooth in a C shape while moving it back and forth in a push-pull motion and up and down against the side of each tooth.  

If you have questions about flossing give us a call or visit our website www.garrisondentistry.com for more information about oral hygiene. To schedule a consultation with Dr. Matthew Garrison here at Garrison Family Dentistry in Smithville, MO, call 816-532-8778.