Just about everyone dislikes visiting the dentist. Dental treatments tend to be a bit uncomfortable. These visits sometimes involve drilling and odors. However, you have the power to avoid extensive and frequent visits to the dentist's chair. Here is a look at a few tips that will improve your oral hygiene and make those dental cleanings less painful.
Stay on the Ball
Frequency and quality of cleanings are both important. You should be flossing, brushing and rinsing with a mouth rinse at least a couple times per day. However, comprehensive oral health care extends beyond the individual. Do not wait too long in between visits to your dentist. Wait too long and your immune system will respond to build up along your teeth and ultimately make the gums that much more sensitive to contact. So commit to your cleanings once you schedule them. The longer you wait to have a cleaning performed, the more painful it will be as you will have given more time for debris to accumulate below and above the gum line. This means there is that much more to clean up and the buildup will be that much harder to reach.
Upgrade to an Electric Toothbrush
Invest in an electric toothbrush and you will brush that much more gently. The brush does just about all of the work for you. All you have to do is move it to the right position. Today's electric toothbrushes are advanced to the point that they clean better beneath the gum line than regular manual toothbrushes. Switch to an electric toothbrush and the hygienist will have less to scrape and your dental appointment will go that much more smoothly.
Consider Medication
Mouth pain can be successfully treated with over the counter medication. If you have pain, swelling or other discomforts that have the potential to interfere with your dental cleaning, discuss pain medication with your dentist.
Stop Over-brushing
If you over-brush, your first course of action should be trying the electric toothbrush detailed above. Brushing overly hard damages the teeth and makes them that much more sensitive. Even brushing with a flawed motion makes the teeth porous and increasingly sensitive.
Consider Cleaning Your Teeth After Meals
It is time to step up your oral hygiene. Consider brushing and/or flossing after meals. Start scraping your tongue if you do not already do so. The more frequent and high quality your oral hygiene practices are, the easier the teeth cleanings will be. Get into the habit of flossing at least once per day and you will find your teeth cleanings are nowhere near as painful as they once were. Keep in mind flossing does about 40 percent of the work required to clean plaque off teeth. Skipping it will make that much more work for your hygienist. If you absolutely dread flossing, give a flossing stick a chance.
Contact Us
Are you looking for a friendly and gentle dentist? Look no further than our office. If you need a cleaning or simply want to talk to an oral health professional, reach out to us today to schedule an appointment.
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