Your Spring Cleaning Check List
Did you think that spring cleaning is only for your home or garden? Well, think again. The best place to start your spring cleaning is by taking stock of your oral hygiene products. That’s not all; the cleaning part also encompasses your dental hygiene, which means a thorough professional dental cleaning is on the cards. Here’s where you start.
Spring clean your oral hygiene tools
First stop – your toothbrush. Is your toothbrush more than four months old? Then it needs to go. Get a replacement or change the brush head if you use an electric toothbrush. The brush goes into your mouth every single day. Bacteria builds up on it even if you clean it out thoroughly. Using the same brush for more than four months could be doing more damage than good to your teeth and gums.
If you are unsure how old the brush is, check the bristles. Worn, frayed, or bent bristles mean it’s time for a replacement. Change the brush if you have been sick or if you have been travelling. You don’t want to risk harbouring bacteria and germs on the brush that you use.
This is also an excellent time to revisit how you are storing the brush and making the right kind of arrangements if necessary. Your brush should be hanging upright, with good air circulation that dries it out in between usages.
Remember all that dental floss that you have collected from the dentist’s office every time you go in for dental cleaning? Spring cleaning is an excuse for putting all of it to good use while clearing out your bathroom cabinet. Put the floss out where you’ll remember to use it regularly. Put some of it in your handbag or even take some to put in your drawer at work so you can care for your teeth without making any excuses.
Spring clean your oral hygiene products
Not only your toothbrush but even other oral care products also need to be spring cleaned periodically. Check the expiry dates on the other products you use- toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrush cleaner- to name some. Toothpaste can lose its efficacy when it is too old. Expired toothpaste can be ineffective or downright bad for you, from losing its fluoride effectiveness to harboring fungi.
Expired mouthwash can have fungi or bacteria growing in it too. You don’t want that going into your mouth! Floss doesn’t expire, but it does lose its flavour. Change it if you have a problem with that.
Book your dental cleaning
The most important spring cleaning for your teeth is to get rid of the gunk that’s built up in your mouth- especially the teeth and gums. Professional dental cleaning is the way to go for this, but you can regularly clean up at home, too, in between dentist visits.
Use fluoride toothpaste and a brush with bristles that feel gentle yet firm on your teeth and gums. Use circular, gentle movements to clean your teeth and brush for a full two minutes. Brush gently along the gum line too. Floss regularly to scrape out the debris from between your teeth where the brush won’t reach.
However, visiting your dentist every six months is essential for a professional dental cleaning. The dentist can spot major dental issues at an early stage and start treatment before it becomes severe. The cleaning session removes plaque before it becomes tartar, which stains your teeth and can ruin them if left unchecked. A professional dental cleaning may be all you need to keep bad breath away and destroy the bacteria flourishing in your mouth.
When you are thinking of spring cleaning this year, pay attention to dental care too. Take stock of your dental care products and book your long pending appointment with the dentist for complete dental cleaning. This will ensure you stay healthy and fit overall.
