Essential Oral Care Products for Optimal Oral Health

Oral health is the term that refers to the general health of your mouth, including your teeth, gums, tongue, soft tissues, and jaw. While dental health refers specifically to your teeth, oral health includes the rest of your mouth and the support structures for your teeth. 

Do you want to have excellent oral health? Numerous studies have shown that oral health is an indicator of overall health and wellness. Having good oral health reduces your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers. 

In order to achieve and maintain optimal oral health, there are some essential tools that can help make that possible. Here’s what you need. 

Basic Must-Have Oral Health Products

These are the basic tools and products that everyone should have and use on a daily basis to maintain their oral health: 

• Toothbrush. You need at least one toothbrush with soft or medium bristles. Be sure to choose a quality toothbrush that is labeled ADA for the American Dental Association. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, once in the morning and once at night to remove plaque and prevent tooth decay and gum disease. 
• Toothpaste. In order for brushing your teeth to be effective, you need to use toothpaste. Choose a fluoride toothpaste that is designed to prevent cavities. If you have specific oral health concerns, ask your dentist to recommend a type of toothpaste for you. 
• Floss. It is also important to floss between all of your teeth. This removes food particles and plaque from the spaces between your teeth and along your gums to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. 

Deluxe or Luxury Items to Optimize Oral Health 

The following products are not necessary for everyone to achieve and maintain optimal dental health, but they can make oral care easier and help with specific oral health concerns: 

• Mouthwash. Mouthwash is not necessary for oral health, but it can reduce the amount of bacteria in your mouth and reach every part of your mouth, even the smallest spaces. It can also freshen your breath. 
• Dental picks/floss sticks. If you have trouble using string floss, dental picks and flossing sticks allow you to clean between your teeth to remove food particles and plaque. 
• Superfloss. Superfloss is extra wide and spongy to more effectively clean larger spaces between teeth. It also has a reinforced end that makes it easier to thread under dental prosthetics and orthodontic appliances. 
• Oral irrigator. Also known as a waterpik or water flosser, an oral irrigator is a tool that sprays water in a pressurized, concentrated stream that is effective at cleaning between your teeth and under dental prosthetics. 
• Tongue scraper. A tongue scraper is primarily used to freshen your breath by removing bacteria from the tongue. It can also improve your oral health by reducing bacteria that causes tooth decay and gum disease. 
• Different shaped toothbrushes. It may help to have toothbrushes with different shaped heads and bristles. These can help keep dental prosthetics clean, as well as orthodontic appliances. 

The Importance of Professional Dental Care 

In addition to oral care at home, it is necessary to see your dentist every 6 months for professional cleanings and oral examinations. No matter how well you clean your teeth, there may still be some plaque left behind on your teeth that only your dentist can see and remove. Dental diagnostics, such as X-Rays, are also important for the detection and diagnosis of oral health concerns. 

When Should I See an Endodontist? 

You may need to see an endodontist if you have a tooth that needs special treatment. An infected tooth or a tooth that is at risk of infection may need a root canal. Other endodontic procedures may be used to save a tooth that is not developing properly or that is deteriorating for some reason. 

Advanced Endodontics provides specialized dental care that can often save one or more of your teeth. We can also recommend oral care products that can help you maintain your oral health and avoid future endodontic treatment. 

Call 407-347-6874 or contact us today to learn more and schedule an appointment.