Dental Hygiene Month

The month of October is most recognized for Halloween costumes and trick-or-treating for bags full of candy. So, it shouldn’t surprise us that October is also recognized as National Dental Hygiene Month! It’s time to replace that old toothbrush and restock your mouthwash.

This October is the perfect time to re-evaluate your dental hygiene regimen and give your teeth and gums a little extra attention. That’s right–an entire month dedicated to promoting healthy mouths, gums, and teeth to allow ourselves to enjoy our well-deserved

candy at the end of the month!

Dental Hygiene Fun Facts:

Fact #1: Fones School of Dental Hygiene opened in 1913 as the first dental hygiene school in the country.

Fact #2: The first bristle toothbrush was introduced in 1948; before that, animal hair was widely used.

Fact #3: Tooth enamel is the hardest thing in the human body.

Fact #4: Tooth decay is the second most common disease in the United States.

Fact #5: Regular dental cleanings can prevent heart attacks.

How to Participate in National Dental Hygiene Month

One way you can participate in National Dental Hygiene Month is to floss every day. There are things that brushing just can’t take care of, which is why it’s so important to ensure you are flossing every day. Flossing, or cleaning between your teeth, removes plaque that can build up and lead to cavities or gum disease, leading to more health problems later in life. Combining your flossing routine with your daily tooth brushing habits can further prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss.

Another way to participate in National Dental Hygiene Month is to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes. Brushing your teeth twice a day, typically once in the morning and once at night, will help battle ‘morning breath’ and reduce your chances of developing gum disease. After brushing your teeth and flossing twice a day, you should also follow up with a mouthwash rinse. This disinfectant rinse will help keep your mouth clean and will help improve your breath.

Are you doing the “Daily 4” ?

The “Daily 4” is a simple list of four steps to keep a healthy smile — brushing, flossing, rinsing, and chewing every day. Oral health is deeply connected to overall health as well, which is why keeping up with the basics is important. Regularly skipping flossing, for example, can lead to oral infections like gum disease.

The Daily 4 includes:

1. Brushing

Brushing at least twice a day — ideally in the morning and in the evening — promotes optimum mouth health. Choose a soft-bristled brush for a comfortable cleaning experience.

How to properly brush:

• Put your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums

• Gently brush back and forth in short, tooth-wide strokes

• Brush all tooth surfaces

• To clean behind the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes

• Don’t forget to brush your tongue

• Brush for 2-3 minutes

Toothy tip: Toss your toothbrush every 3-4 months, or after an illness to stay healthy.

2. Flossing

While it may be the yuckiest part of oral health routines, daily flossing is a must. Floss gets into the crevices a toothbrush can’t, and it removes bacterial plaque buildup between the teeth and at the gumline.

How to floss:

• Pluck off about 18 inches of floss

• Wind nearly all of it around each middle finger, leaving an inch to push between your teeth

• Tightly hold the floss between your index fingers and thumbs

• Curve the floss around the base of each tooth. Get below the gumline, but don’t force floss. It could bruise or cut your gum tissue.

• Use clean sections of floss as you move along

Toothy tip: Hate sticking your hands all the way in your mouth to floss? Get a long-handled flosser or a Waterpik to make the job less awkward.

3. Rinsing

Your teeth aren’t the only part of your mouth that need cleaning. Reduce bacteria in your mouth by swishing with an antimicrobial mouthwash. It removes bacteria and biofilm while freshening your breath. Ahh, clean.

Toothy tip: Sensitive to the alcohol in mouthwash? Check out alcohol-free brands like Tom’s of Maine or Biotene.

4. Chewing

Is this morning’s coffee still lingering on your breath? Turns out, chewing sugar-free gum can cure that stale breath AND clean your teeth. Plus, it’s a nice post-meal treat, and it neutralizes acids on your teeth which can wear away your enamel.

Toothy tip: Chew gum for 20 minutes after eating to increase saliva flow and replace minerals your enamel has lost. Sugar-free gum can also help reduce dry mouth symptoms.

See Your Dentist Twice a Year

Practicing good oral hygiene won’t necessarily eliminate all of your oral health issues, but it can help reduce dental problems. Brushing twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, flossing, rinsing, and regularly replacing your toothbrush can minimize extra trips to the dentist.

Why is National Dental Hygiene Month So Important?

National Dental Hygiene Month is very important for adults and children of all ages to understand and to participate in every October for many reasons. It encourages you to increase your oral health. This is a great way to keep bacteria away and decreases the risk of developing tooth decay, gum disease, and even tooth loss.

It is also a great annual reminder to regularly upgrade your toothbrush! While most dentists recommend using a soft bristle toothbrush, you should still check with your dentist to see what type of toothbrush would be best for you.