Visiting the dentist on a regular basis

As with anything health-related, there are no cookie-cutter treatments because we all have unique traits and habits. If you are a healthy individual, eating healthy food, brushing twice a day, flossing each day and a non-smoker, you may be one of the “twice a year” patients. But if you indulge in sugary sweets or soft drinks a little too often, forget to brush and floss daily, or are on medications that might cause you to have a dry mouth, then you will most likely need to visit the hygienist 3 or 4 times a year.

A dry mouth means there is less saliva in your mouth, allowing bacteria to grow more easily. High sugar content also imbalances your saliva (which is usually pH neutral) and can overpower saliva’s ability to help keep the bacteria away (or germ poop, as we like to call it).

One other reason you may need to visit more often is if it’s difficult to clean around some of your teeth. Maybe they are crowded or over-lapping, or perhaps you are wearing braces. Any of these factors make it more difficult to brush and floss well.

So what’s the big deal about clean teeth? If you don’t care for your mouth, you can look forward to a lot of inflammation, bleeding of the gums, and bone loss around the teeth. And pain. Who wants that? Pick up a toothbrush, watch a video to brush properly, and do your part to take care of yourself. After all, a toothless grin is really only cute when you’re six.