Spring Clean Your Smile

We have officially embarked upon springtime, making many of us want to clean and refresh. Dr. Ridl and his team want to remind you that this does not only apply to your house and yard. While you’re cleaning out your closets and scrubbing the bathroom, remember to invigorate your oral health as well!

• Make sure your toothbrush is changed every 3 months and the bristles are still effective. We recommend an extra-soft bristled brush to prevent gingival wear. Electric toothbrushes are also beneficial but not necessary, the main importance is brushing for a 2-minute duration. Brush the inside, outside and top surfaces of each tooth, also use your toothbrush as a tongue scraper.

• Flossing is imperative! Research shows that a lack of flossing leaves substantial plaque bacteria behind on approximately 30% of the tooth’s surface. Using hand-held flossers is a great substitute if you hate regular floss, REACH has an excellent hand held flosser.

• Choose a product containing fluoride. Most over the counter toothpastes contain fluoride as it is proven to be the number one anti-cavity preventative. But if you or your family members are prone to cavities there are many other products to supply you with additional cavity protection including MI paste plus and ACT mouthrinse.

• Chewing sugarfree gum stimulates your saliva, which in turn provides your teeth with excess nutrients and buffering. This step has become the latest addition by the American Dental Association to a “normal” oral homecare routine. Additionally, eating a healthy diet while avoiding sticky, acidic and high sugar intake is essential.

• Spring into a brighter smile by treating yourself to whitening! We are pleased to discuss the safety and efficacy of all whitening options available. Our office currently offers custom trays with different strengths of whitening gel.

• Make sure you and your family are up-to-date on your dental visits. Not only are routine dental cleanings and exams imperative. But allowing cavities and larger dental concerns to go untreated will cause further tooth destruction and place your oral cavity at risk. Call (509) 235-6241 to schedule any needed treatment.

Make sure that your spring-cleaning list includes scrubbing and refreshing your oral health care routine. Don’t fall into the same old habits, go above and beyond to keep your smile healthy and sparkling.