{"id":436,"date":"2020-03-30T13:14:00","date_gmt":"2020-03-30T13:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/?p=436"},"modified":"2020-04-22T13:16:54","modified_gmt":"2020-04-22T13:16:54","slug":"tips-and-tricks-for-keeping-your-mouth-clean-until-your-next-dental-appointment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/2020\/03\/tips-and-tricks-for-keeping-your-mouth-clean-until-your-next-dental-appointment\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips and Tricks for Keeping Your Mouth Clean Until Your Next Dental Appointment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Smiling<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Like any medical professional, a dentist\u2019s first concern is to keep their patients healthy. Thus, to limit the risk of transmitting COVID-19, most dental practices are currently closed except for emergency cases. Of course, this means you may not be able to have a preventive checkup for a while \u2013 so your goal until then should be to give your smile the best care possible at home! Use these 4 tips suggested by a dentist in Lincoln to avoid gum disease and cavities while professional dental cleanings are unavailable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

1. Take Your Time While Brushing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On average, most people only brush for about 45 seconds at a time. That might seem like enough, but in reality it\u2019s far short of what the American Dental Association recommends. Every time you use your toothbrush, you should continue cleaning your teeth for at least two minutes. If you need help keeping track, use a timer or set up a two-minute YouTube video. If you\u2019re currently in quarantine at home, you\u2019ll find it\u2019s much easier to give your teeth the attention they deserve; after all, if you don\u2019t have to rush out the door in the morning, you can take all the time you need while brushing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Practice Proper Brushing Technique<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you first start brushing, you should hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle relative to the gums before moving it gently back and forth across the sides and tops of your teeth. Then, when you move on to the backsides of the teeth (which is where plaque tends to build up), adjust your grip so that you\u2019re holding the brush vertically and start using shorter strokes. Pay close attention to which parts of your mouth are being cleaned; if you miss a spot, the plaque in that area could harden into tartar and become impossible to remove without a professional\u2019s help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Use Plenty of Floss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When flossing between the teeth, it\u2019s important to avoid reinserting plaque and bacteria that you just got rid of. During each session, you should use a piece of floss that is up to 18 inches in length so that a different section can be placed between each tooth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Don\u2019t Ignore Your Tongue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most people only pay attention to the teeth and gums while brushing, but harmful bacteria could settle anywhere in your mouth. You can keep your tongue clean with a tool called a tongue scraper, but you can also simply brush it. In addition to the health benefits, you may also notice that your breath becomes fresher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your home oral hygiene routine has always been important, but it becomes even more so when you have severely limited access to your dentist. Take the time and effort to keep your smile safe while also protecting yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the Author<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Louis Olberding follows a careful philosophy of providing predictable results with his patients through sound diagnoses and tailored treatment plans. He has been serving as a dentist in the Lincoln area from his practice, Olberding Dental, since 2003. During these stressful times, he wishes for all of his patients and their families to remain in good health. If you have any questions about preventive care, you can get in touch with Dr. Olberding by visiting his website<\/a> or calling (402) 4880-2325.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Like any medical professional, a dentist\u2019s first concern is to keep their patients healthy. Thus, to limit the risk of transmitting COVID-19, most dental practices are currently closed except for emergency cases. Of course, this means you may not be able to have a preventive checkup for a while \u2013 so your goal until then […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=436"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":438,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436\/revisions\/438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.olberdingdental.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}