Chicago Implant Dentist: Tips for Keeping Your Teeth in Top Condition, PART 1

This three-part article series provides advice on how to keep your teeth and gums in excellent condition and, in doing so, to keep your teeth!

In spite of the advanced state of modern day medical and dental heath care, the statistics of tooth loss in the United States are still incredibly dire. Millions of teeth are lost every year to oral diseases, such as decay and periodontists or gum disease. The good thing about most of the conditions that can cause tooth loss, if anything good can indeed be seen about them, is that they are totally preventable! We spoke to a Chicago implant dentist - the specialist responsible for replacing missing teeth – about what we can do to keep our teeth and gums in fantastic lifelong condition. In this three-part article series, we present to you this advise in the following categories...

(1) Basic oral hygiene (Part 1),

(2) Advanced oral healthcare (Part 2) and

(3) Lifestyle and daily habits.

Basic Oral Hygiene

"Everyone should maintain a thorough at-home oral hygiene routine," says the Chicago dental implant specialist. "Brushing, flossing and rinsing are the foundation habits that will help to prevent decay and gum disease and in doing so, keep your teeth and gums healthy. You shower everyday to keep your body clean, so you should be doing what it takes to keep your mouth clean as well."

What exactly does it take to keep your mouth clean? More than just a quick brush once or twice a day, it would seem! According to the Chicago implant dentist, you should:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day. And not just for 30 seconds or so. You should give your teeth and tongue a good scrub for two minutes every time you brush. That'll give your mouth a thorough clean.

• Floss everyday and preferably before you go to bed at night. Your teeth are three-dimensional structures. Since most of them are surrounded on both sides by neighboring teeth, your brush cannot clean these surfaces. If you don't floss, therefore, you are missing out on cleaning a shocking 35% of your teeth's surfaces! That's like jumping in the shower and only cleaning the upper half of your body!

• Use an anti-bacterial mouthwash. "Gargling with an ADA-approved, sugar-free mouthwash is optional," say Chicago dental implant dentists. "But, it can really help you gain the upper hand on the oral bacteria that can cause gum disease and tooth loss. If you are recovering from gingivitis or gum disease or if your family has a history of oral disease, it is highly advisable that you incorporate this additional measure into your hygiene routine. Other risk factors include times of hormonal fluctuation, such as pregnancy and menopause."

• Go to your oral hygienist for regular professional cleanings. "If you're in good oral health and don't smoke or lead an unhealthy lifestyle, you only really need to get your teeth professionally cleaned once a year." advises the Chicago implant dentist. "Otherwise, twice a year is recommended."

Stay Tuned for Part 2

The next important component of keeping your teeth and gums in fantastic lifelong condition is the advanced preventative and restorative oral health care only a professional dentist can provide. We'll take a look at this in Part 2 of this three-part article series.

Next Article Part - 2