Maintaining proper oral health is more than something to do just before your dental checkup. It’s a lifelong commitment to your overall health and well-being, and visiting the dentist is only one part of it.

After being in the field of Dentistry for more than 12 years, we have had many experiences of patients having issues with maintaining their oral hygiene which brings them back with the same problem multiple times. This is one of the recent experiences we have had in the past.

Once in the evening, I was walking in my society garden and a lady approached me and said ‘’ Hi, doctor do you recognize me?

As I was trying to recall her name, she said ‘’I visited your practice 2-3 years back and I have to thank you, as because of you I am pain-free and my fear of dental treatment is also gone.

The lady’s words made me happy and who will not after getting an appreciation from a satisfied patient.

I said, “I am glad you are happy with my treatment.”

Then she said “sorry for bothering you doctor in the middle of your walk, if you have time, can you please tell me one thing how can I maintain and brush my teeth so that I only have to visit you for my routine check-up. I remember you explained the process to me during my treatment, however, it slipped out of my mind. Can you please explain that to me again?”

It’s always good to see people concerned about their oral health and hygiene. Our teeth are to be treasured. They are much like every other part of our body; they can’t be easily replaced. With the strain they get from all the chewing, biting or grinding, they will also wear and tear if one doesn’t take care of them from time to time. 

I smiled and said, “It’s okay Ma’am, I would love to resolve the issue as it makes me happy when someone genuinely seeks help.”

I started by saying that — the first and most important measure to make your teeth healthy is to brush twice a day and floss daily, change your toothbrush every three months, use a medium bristle toothbrush, avoid very refined foods and sodas, eat a well-balanced diet, rinse your mouth after every meal, use toothpaste that has ingredients like hydroxyapatite, massage your gums with a pad of index finger at least once a day.

She further asked, “But Doctor, I don’t know how to floss. The one time I tried doing that, I failed to remove the food particles stuck in between my teeth which lead to bleeding of my gums.

I replied, “Don’t worry Ma’am, you are not the only one. Most people face the same problem as you do too. Many interdental aids are available in the market which is easy to use and economical as well. For instance, you can use interdental brushes, thread floss or a water flosser as well. 

If thread floss is difficult for you to use, try using a water flosser which is very convenient to use and not very expensive. It comes with two/ four tips that can be used by you and other family members, these tips are color-coded so it’s easy to remember. You know what, I am a big fan of water flosser because it is hassle-free, more effective and different from other interdental cleaning aids. 

If you follow all these instructions then you don’t need to see us in pain or with any other problem related to your teeth, you have to visit us only for your routine check-up.

She said, “ I will definitely follow all these instructions and also make it a routine planned for my family follows this. Thank you Doctor for giving me your time and explaining all this in such an easy way. I replied, “I will be much happier if you visit me only for your routine check-up. It will make me feel like I was successful in making you follow these instructions as needed. She smiled and said that she would try her best not to let me down on these grounds. We smiled at each other and resumed our walk together.

We encourage our patients at Complete Dental Solutions to keep their teeth clean so they can reduce their visits to the clinic. Brushing along with flossing is vital for healthy teeth and we recommend that patients brush twice a day to maintain their oral hygiene. If good dental health matters to you, schedule an appointment to get to know the instructions on how to maintain good oral health today!