While most people understand the importance of brushing and flossing daily, there are several dental mistakes that they also make unknowingly. As a result, children lose about 34 million school hours yearly due to unplanned dental care. Unfortunately, the mistakes are not only limited to children. Adults also lose more than $45 billion in productivity each year due to untreated dental disease. Fortunately, all this can be avoided by correcting these common oral health mistakes and visiting your dentist’s office.
Using a Toothbrush for Too Long
This is one of the most common oral health mistakes. A lot of people use their toothbrushes for too long. While every toothbrush ends up with some bacteria after brushing, older toothbrushes tend to retain more bacteria on their bristles. This means that instead of removing bacteria from your mouth, your older toothbrush might be doing the exact opposite. This is why you must ensure that you change your toothbrush every three to four months.
Brushing Teeth Aggressively
There is a misconception that the harder you brush your teeth, the cleaner they become. This is not true at all. In fact, brushing your teeth too hard can weaken your teeth. Apart from that, it can also lead to teeth hypersensitivity and damaged gums.
Buying the Wrong Toothpaste
There are a lot of toothpaste options on the market, and that can make it difficult to select the right one. In most instances, people are misled by marketing materials into switching to toothpaste options that might not be as effective as they promise to be. However, to avoid selecting the wrong toothpaste, it’s advisable to only stick to products that have the American Dental Association (ADA) stamp. This is because the ADA runs tests on toothpaste products to ensure they contain the minimum amount of therapeutic ingredients required to keep your mouth healthy.
Not Visiting the Dentist Office Regularly
This is another common oral health mistake that causes problems. Most people will only remember the dentist’s office when things go wrong. However, the job of the dentist shouldn’t be to fix problems only. Instead, you should visit the dentist’s office regularly so they can help you maintain a healthy oral cavity. That way, you won’t find yourself battling dental problems at all.
Trust Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry with Your Oral Health
Having trouble with your oral health? For help maintaining your oral health, see us at Sninski & Schmitt Family Dentistry. If you are looking for a dentist in Cary or Holly Springs, contact us. We take a wide variety of insurance plans and are currently accepting new patients. You can reach us at our Holly Springs dentist office at (919) 600-6262 and our Cary, NC dentist office at (919) 467-2203. You can also fill out our contact form if you need to schedule an appointment.