Your daily oral hygiene routine has a significant influence on the health of your mouth, and the health of your mouth affects your whole body! While most people know they should be brushing and flossing every day, they may not know how to recognize the signs that their current oral hygiene routine needs improvement. In this article, we will give you four important signs that indicate you need to improve your daily oral hygiene routine.
1. Your Gums Bleed
Bleeding gums is not normal. The fact that gums bleed means they are unhealthy. The underlying cause of the bleeding is inflammation in the gum tissues, and the most common cause of the inflammation is buildup of dental plaque.
Dental plaque is the soft buildup that collects on the teeth every day.bIt contains food debris, bacteria, and exfoliated cells from the inner lining of the cheeks, lips, and tongue.The bacteria in dental plaque produce toxins that can penetrate into the gum tissues.
When your body recognizes the presence of these toxins, it responds by sending inflammatory cells, and this results in redness, swelling, tenderness, and a tendency to bleed very easily. When you successfully and consistently remove dental plaque from the teeth, you eliminate the cause of the inflammation, and your gums can return to normal health. If your gums bleed, you need to improve your oral hygiene.
2. Your Mouth is Dry
Millions of Americans experience dry mouth as a side effect of prescription medications. A dry mouth is not a healthy mouth. Saliva is the body’s best natural defense against the diseases caused by the bacteria in dental plaque. When someone lacks an adequate amount of saliva, the risk for cavities and gum disease increases drastically.
A dry mouth accumulates higher levels of dental plaque than a mouth with healthy saliva flow. The consistency of the plaque changes as well. It becomes thicker, stickier, and more difficult to remove from the teeth. More dental plaque leads to a higher disease risk for both cavities and gum disease.
A dry mouth also tends to have a lower pH than a healthy mouth. The pH in the mouth should be neutral (7 on the pH scale) or slightly alkaline (above 7). A dry mouth has an acidic pH (below 7), and this places the teeth at risk for damage from acid erosion and decay.
If your mouth is dry, you should speak with your dental professionals about improving oral hygiene to mitigate this increased disease risk.
3. You Have Bad Breath
A healthy mouth should not smell bad. Bad breath is an indication that something is wrong with the mouth. The most common source of bad smells from the mouth is a large collection of bacteria, and this can occur with both untreated cavities and chronic gum disease.
Many people also experience bad breath as the result of poor teeth cleaning, which allows food debris to remain on and between the teeth. When you do not properly clean the teeth and leave food in place, you create tiny little kitchen trash cans in your mouth. We all know how badly a kitchen trash can smells!
Many people are unaware of their own bad breath, so you may have to ask a trusted friend or loved one to give you an honest opinion. If you suspect that your breath is not fresh, you are probably correct.
If you have bad breath, you need to improve your oral hygiene routine.
4. You Can See Dental Plaque
Dental plaque is visible. It is the soft, clumpy material that collects on the teeth all day every day. It is typically white or off-white in color, and it usually accumulates between the teeth and where the teeth and gums meet.
It may be difficult to see a minor buildup of dental plaque, but a significant buildup will be visible to the naked eye. If you can see the dental plaque on your teeth, there is too much!
If you cannot see dental plaque, you can use a dental hygiene tool called a plaque disclosing tablets. These small tablets leave a bright stain on dental plaque, showing you where it exists on the teeth. It is a wonderful aid in teaching you how to brush and floss more effectively.
More Questions about Oral Hygiene? Call Rockland Dental Today!
Call Rockland Dental Specialists today at (845) 259-2500 or contact us to schedule a consultation with one of our dental experts. We can answer any question you have about oral hygiene and assess your specific situation. We love helping our patients keep their teeth clean!