Follow these tips to streamline your oral hygiene routine. Doing so will leave you more time for other activities without sacrificing your oral health.
Between work and home responsibilities, most adults have a mile-long to-do list. No one wants to give all their time to obligations. It’s important everyone have room in their day for the joys of living too.
That’s why it can be rewarding to find ways to trim down your daily activities to create more time for the things that actually matter to you. In this piece, we’ll offer up some tips to streamline and simplify your daily oral hygiene routine.
1. Water Flossers
The American Dental Association recommends flossing once per day. But not everyone prioritizes this crucial aspect of oral hygiene and health.
Water flossers are a great way to make this task less labor intensive, so you can seamlessly incorporate daily flossing into your routine. They use a pressurized stream of water to remove plaque and food particles from hard-to-reach places like between your teeth.
Water flossers come in many models. Some plug into the wall, others are cordless, and some are manually operated instead of by motor.
Some water flossers can be attached directly to a water source like a faucet or shower head. So, you’ll always have a steady stream of water and won’t need to refill your device’s reservoir. This also allows you to floss while you’re showering. This allows you to check two tasks off of your list at once. Plus, you won’t create any mess since it’ll all be washed down your shower drain.
Flossing well is easier with a water flosser. Then you won’t need to spend your time focusing on your flossing technique. Beyond just reducing plaque, if you opt for a water flosser that’s been given the American Dental Association seal of approval, it can also help reduce your chances of gingivitis. Gingivitis is the first stage of gum disease. Although it’s reversible, it’s best to avoid this inflammation of the gums altogether.
2. Electric Toothbrushes
Like water flossers, electric toothbrushes come in a variety of models and styles. Though it’s possible to effectively brush with a manual toothbrush, this requires more focus and effort. With an electric toothbrush, you can get a superior clean with less work. This allows you to complete your brushing without much thought or labor, saving your headspace for things that are more enjoyable or important to you personally.
We all know that we’re supposed to brush our teeth twice a day for two minutes each time, but how many of us actually keep track of the length of our brushing sessions? That’s why our favorite electric toothbrush models come with an automatic timer, built to shut off after your two minutes of brushing are complete. With an automatic timer in your electric toothbrush, you won’t need to eye the clock, set a timer on your phone, or one mississippi your way to a clean smile.
We tend to think we have been brushing for longer than we actually have. So, a feature like this can help keep us honest. It’s normal to kid ourselves about these things. But over time shorter brushing sessions can cause oral health problems.
Conveniently, some electric toothbrush companies allow you to sign up for a subscription for replacement heads. Once you choose your preferred delivery frequency (usually every 3–4 months), you won’t have to think about purchasing replacement heads again. They’ll simply show up on your doorstep at a set schedule, so you can cross one more item off your shopping and to-do lists.
3. Clear Aligners
Many people turn to orthodontics for aesthetic reasons, but they can also improve your overall oral health. Although orthodontic treatment is a time commitment no matter which option you choose, that doesn’t mean all require the same investment. Because of their wires and brackets, braces necessitate quite a few changes to your oral care routine.
For instance, archwires inhibit you from flossing in the way you’re accustomed. Instead, you’ll need to thread the floss in between the wires, which can be pretty time consuming. You’ll also need to adjust the way you brush your teeth. This ensures you reach every nook and cranny of your brackets.
Clear aligners, on the other hand, are removable, so your cleanings won’t require any new techniques. The only real addition to your schedule will be cleaning the aligners themselves. But since they’re removable you can easily maneuver them during the cleaning process.
Braces require you to give up certain foods during your treatment since especially hard or sticky foods can harm your hardware. But clear aligners don’t have any dietary restrictions. You just need to remove them before eating.
An aligned smile makes effective brushing and flossing much easier. Even though you’ll have an upfront investment of time for treatment, the effects of your aligned smile could save you significant time down the road.
For best results, according to this dentist who does high-quality teeth whitening in Salem MA, wear clear aligners for at least 22 hours a day.
4. Dual Purpose Products
When you’re short on time, it helps to buy products that have multiple uses, like whitening toothpaste or mouthwash. If you’re someone who likes to keep a bright smile, this can help you extend the time in between each professional whitening treatment.
Typically, home whitening products (particularly supplementary ones like toothpaste or mouthwash) have a much weaker formula than in-office whitening treatments. So, there aren’t usually any risks to incorporating this into your daily routine.
That said, even a gentle formula can help you maintain your whitening results. It can also delay additional treatments for as long as possible. Fewer whitening treatments means less time spent in the whitening chair and less money spent on appointments.
Another approach to delaying whitening treatments is to avoid consuming highly pigmented foods. Also, use a straw if consuming staining drinks like coffee or tea. After all, our teeth don’t stain themselves — it’s a direct result of our actions. Adding a straw to your coffee takes no time and could help you kick your whitening sessions down the road even further.
Yes, you can simplify your oral hygiene.
Everyone is pressed for time these days, but by tweaking your daily rituals you can find more space for what’s important. If you follow some of these tips you’ll be able to streamline your daily oral hygiene care, leaving time for more enjoyable activities!
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