Quality Dental Care

Longmont, CO Family & General Dentistry

young boy smiling while running through a sprinkler

Dental Care Tips To Follow At Home, Whatever Your Age!

Your dentist takes care to provide services that will promote the health of your teeth, gum, and other regions of your mouth. Dental health is very important for your overall well-being; when you have beautiful, strong teeth, you’re able to eat the foods you like, and you feel confident when you interact with others.

At Smile Designers, your dental office in Longmont, we strive to not only provide excellent general and cosmetic dentistry services, but to also empower each of our patients to continue to maintain their dental health at home.

In today’s blog, we offer dental care tips to follow at home for all ages. Read on for tips for yourself and your whole family!

FOR ALL AGES

It goes without saying that regular brushing and flossing are great ways to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Something as inexpensive as a basic, soft-bristled toothbrush and a pack of dental floss can do wonders for your oral health!

For best results, brush your teeth as part of your “getting ready for the day” routine and again right before bedtime. In addition, if possible, brush your teeth after meals. If this is impractical, then at least rinse your mouth with water to remove food particles and bacteria.

Be sure to floss daily to remove food particles that get trapped between teeth as well as plaque that forms in these regions.

Plaque is a sticky film that builds up on teeth; it can lead to tooth decay (including cavities) as well as gum disease.

One of the primary reasons to get your teeth professionally cleaned at your dental office is to remove this buildup, in turn protecting your teeth’s enamel and keeping your gums healthy, too. By regularly brushing and flossing your teeth at home, you also help to get rid of this potentially damaging plaque, thus actively contributing to your dental care.

If you’re starting to experience signs of gum disease, such as gums that are swollen, irritated, and/or bleeding, let your dentist know right away. When caught in the early stages, gum disease is very treatable and may require no more than a thorough cleaning at your dental office here in Longmont followed by rinsing with a prescribed mouthwash at home over a period of time.

For Children

Young children may forget to brush their teeth, and they may need gentle reminders from parents and guardians. Model healthy dental hygiene to young children by letting them see you brush and floss your teeth.

Keep things light and pleasant when you’re teaching a young child effective brushing and flossing techniques. Children tend to respond well to new tasks when they’re fun and when they don’t feel frightened, intimidated, or coerced.

If you need tips on how to help your child brush regularly, feel free to contact Smile Designers and our staff will be happy to assist.

Here are other ways you can help your children take care of their teeth:

  • Empower kids by letting them pick the color of toothbrush they like.
  • Read fun dental health books together written specifically for children.
  • Help them make healthy food choices that won’t hurt their teeth.
  • Play a favorite song for two minutes to help your child know how long to brush their teeth.

For Older Adults

Like many children, some older adults don’t always remember to care for their teeth on a regular basis. If you provide care for an older adult, you can help them maintain good dental health through the following:

  • Set out a toothbrush with toothpaste by the bathroom sink to encourage brushing as part of the morning routine.
  • Offer gentle reminders, or post an easy-to-read to-do checklist at the bathroom sink or mirror.
  • If necessary, supervise brushing as you’d do for a young child.
  • Get a toothpaste flavor that the individual prefers.
  • Swap out the regular toothbrush with an electric one that can do the brushing work for the older adult.

Make Your Appointment With Smile Designers Today

Be sure to read the infographic that follows this blog for tips on what to eat and not eat for your and your family’s dental health.

If it’s been a while since you, your kids, or any of your loved ones have been to the dentist, be sure to schedule an appointment soon. Here at Smile Designers in Longmont, we help patients of all ages by offering quality dental care services for healthy teeth and gums. Call us today!