October is National Dental Hygiene Month. For the seventh straight year, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program (WOHP) are dedicating this month to starting the conversation about The Daily 4.
The Daily 4
The Daily 4 represent the foundation for a healthy smile. Teaching your kids about brushing, flossing, rinsing and chewing every day – also using proper technique – won’t guartantee perfect dental hygiene for the rest of their lives, but it will improve the color of their teeth, the way their breath smells, the health of their gums and have a significant impact on their overall health. Are you helping your kids do the Daily 4 correctly? Keep reading for tips on technique and frequency, or head over to adha.org for some more in-depth information on #NDHM2016.
Brush: This one is easy. Brush for two minutes at least twice each day. Most people like to brush when they wake up and before they go to bed. But brushing after every meal doesn’t hurt! Are you using the correct technique when you brush? Click here to find out.
Floss: You might’ve seen some recent reports about the effectiveness of flossing. The ADHA and Kid’s Dentistree are united in our opinion — Flossing is still an important part of your dental hygiene routine. If you’d like to read more about it, check out this article we wrote. And for tips on proper flossing technique, click here.
Rinse: Did you know teeth alone account for less than half of the mouth? Don’t forget about the rest! Rinsing with an antimicrobial mouth rinse helps eliminate biofilm and bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot. Talk with your child’s dentist to determine which antiseptic mouth rinse is right for them. For a simple guide on rinsing, click here.
Chew: Believe it or not, chewing sugar-free gum is not just good at curing bad breath. Chewing sugar-free gum also stimulates salivary glands in your mouth, which helps clean out food and neutralize acids found on your teeth. So go ahead, chew some gum after your meal. Just make sure it’s sugar-free!
