October is National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM) and you may be wondering what does that mean for me? Each year during this month we hope to continue to increase the public’s awareness of maintaining overall good oral health. At Mint Hill Dentistry we want to help you year round with your oral health, but feel it is important to help share this information with those who may not have access to this information on a regular basis.
National Dental Hygiene Month “Daily 4”
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has worked with Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP) for the sixth straight year to help nationally raise awareness. They have come up with the ‘Daily 4.”
- Brushing two times a day
- Flossing daily
- Rinse with mouthwash
- Chew sugar free gum with Xylitol
Each of these are important, but also important can be the time of day these are completed. For brushing twice a day the best times are in the morning and at night before you go to bed. We would recommend flossing in the evenings as well. And you may not think chewing sugar free gum is important, but wouldn’t it be better to not have the extra sugar on your teeth? There are a lot of options you can choose from for sugar free gum now. Most sugar free gum has xylitol as the sweetner, which has been shown to reduce the bacteria the causes cavities. In addition, chewing gum helps to mechanically cleanse the teeth and causes extra salivation, which is also beneficial in fighting cavities. If you dislike chewing gum, then xylitol lozenges are also an option!
So, the question is — are you doing the Daily 4 each day?
You can learn more about the ADHA and WOHP tips by visiting their site for the National Dental Hygiene Month. At Mint Hill Dentistry all of our hygienists and entire staff want to help you, so please call us with questions you may have about maintaining your oral health.