October is National Dental Hygiene Month! Are you ready to start the conversation? We are talking about the Daily 4! Understanding the importance of keeping a regular oral health routine that works for you.
The Daily 4
The Daily 4 represent the foundation for healthy smiles. Incorporating these steps into a regular oral health routine can have a significant impact on oral and overall health. Take this time to review the benefits of each step, and remember, proper technique is key!
Brush
Do you know that two is the magic number? Tooth brushing for two minutes two times a day helps reduce biofilm and prevent caries, gingivitis and other biofilm-related diseases. Share these links about brushing your way to a brighter smile.
Floss*
You know that daily proper flossing or use of other interdental cleaning methods removes biofilm and food particles that a toothbrush can’t reach. You need to be aware that lack of adequate care in these areas can lead to biofilm buildup, which can lead to tooth decay and periodontal disease.
Here are a few tips you can pass along to help make flossing/interdental cleaning a part of your oral health routines.
Rinse
Because teeth alone account for less than half of the mouth, you need to be reminded not to forget about the rest. Rinsing with an antimicrobial mouth rinse helps eliminate biofilm and bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot.
Here are some resources for additional insight into the benefits of mouth rinse.
- Journal of Dental Hygiene supplement article on benefits of daily rinsing with an essential oil antimicrobial mouth rinse
- Journal of Dental Hygiene supplement on antimicrobial mouth rinses
- Simple Guide to Rinsing
Chew
Chewing sugar-free gum after meals and snacks helps protect teeth and complements a healthy oral care routine. Do you understand how bacteria in the biofilm on teeth produce acid, and that this can decrease oral pH to an unsafe level?
Chewing stimulates the salivary glands to increase their flow rate by up to 10 times during the first few minutes of chewing, and the flavors in sugar-free gum also increase the quantity of saliva in the mouth. This helps clean out food particles and neutralizes biofilm acids on the teeth.
Other resources from the WOHP can be found by clicking here.
Wrigley is proud to support NDHM. The WOHP has a long-standing commitment to partnering with dental professionals and draws on decades of clinical research and expertise about the oral care benefits of sugar-free gum. To learn more about the WOHP, visit wrigleyoralhealth.com.
Source : *ADHA wants to emphasize that starting the conversation is a key aspect of NDHM. Conversations about the recent news coverage of flossing and the benefits of interdental cleaning are strongly encouraged. Dental hygienists are in the ideal position to discuss interdental cleaning with patients, recommend the interdental cleaning devices that best fit their oral health needs and educate patients to use them effectively.