When it comes to your oral routine, the little daily things can make the biggest difference. With a dental care regimen, you can freshen up your breath and keep your teeth and gums healthy. Ahead, we’ve broken down five simple steps that you can incorporate into your oral hygiene routine, sharing recommendations for our favorite Desert Essence oral hygiene products to get you started.
Step 1: Floss Daily
With any oral care routine, you should floss before you brush your teeth to remove food particles and bacteria, which helps reduce the buildup of plaque and tartar. Simply pull out 18 inches of floss and wind it around your fingers. Maneuver the floss so that you curve around the base of each tooth to clean beneath the gum line. Use a clean section between each tooth.
When flossing, you can use Desert Essence dental floss or dental tape. Dental floss is thin and great for people with tight spaces between their teeth. In contrast, dental tape is thicker and flatter, ideal for those with wide gaps between their teeth.
Step 2: Brush Your Teeth Twice a Day
To keep your teeth and gums in tip-top shape, brush your teeth twice a day, including once at nighttime after you floss. Brushing your teeth is easy, but there are techniques that will help you make the most of your brushing. To get started, position your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle towards the area where your teeth meet your gums and rotate your toothbrush in gentle circular motions to clean each tooth surface. Spend at least two minutes brushing, budgeting 30 seconds in the upper left, upper right, lower left and lower right sections of your mouth.
You can get to brushing with a variety of fluoride-free toothpaste formulas from Desert Essence. For example, Desert Essence Activated Charcoal Toothpaste helps with surface stains, Desert Essence Aloe & Tea Tree Oil Toothpaste helps soothe gums and Desert Essence Coconut Oil Toothpaste helps draw out impurities — you’ll find a Desert Essence toothpaste for your preferences!
Step 3: Use Mouthwash
Fighting buildup and freshening breath, mouthwash is the perfect way to cap off your oral routine. Measure a ½ oz of mouthwash, gargle for 30 seconds and spit out. In your Desert Essence mouthwash, you can find powerhouse botanical ingredients such as neem for neutralizing bacteria and tea tree oil for fighting buildup. You can also enjoy flavors such as cinnamint, gingermint, spearmint and mint. For specific concerns, formulas such as Tea Tree Oil Whitening Plus Mouthwash and Ultra Care Tea Tree Oil Mouthwash also help with, respectively, reducing surface stains and soothing irritated gums.
In addition to mouthwash, you can begin your routine with oil pulling (such as Desert Essence Coconut Oil Dual Phase Pulling Rinse) to reduce buildup or brushing rinse (such as Desert Essence Prebiotic Plant Based Brushing Rinse - Mint) to keep odor-causing bacteria at bay.
Step 4: Regular Dental Check-Ups and Cleanings
Other than following the daily oral hygiene tips above, visit your dentist regularly. A good rule of thumb is to schedule a dental checkup and cleaning every six months. That said, check in with your dental professional to figure out the best checkup schedule for your specific oral health needs.
Step 5: Make Healthy Diet and Lifestyle Choices
A balanced diet can keep your teeth sparkling and your gums healthy. Enjoy foods that are rich in nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus to support your oral health. It also helps to be mindful of foods that are sugary or acidic, as they can increase your risk of tooth decay.
Along with routine dental checkups and a balanced diet, daily flossing, brushing and rinsing can help you maintain a fresh, healthy mouth — and you can easily find plant-powered oral care go-to’s from Desert Essence’s Dental Care collection. For any questions or personalized oral hygiene advice, you can check in with a dental professional.