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Oral Hygiene
Syracuse, NY

Brushing and flossing teeth daily is the bare minimum for maintaining healthy teeth and gums. But is the bare minimum really enough for your pearly whites? Consider adding the following tips to your dental hygiene routine and give your oral hygiene routine a boost, to help prevent gum disease.

•	*Use Mouthwash:* it helps remove stains, fights bad breath, and kills cavity-causing bacteria.
•	*Go Crunchy:* raw carrots, apples, celery, and popcorn are excellent natural teeth cleansers that clean as you crunch.
•	*Time For a Change:* change your toothbrush every two months and alternate angles for different cleaning coverage, or consider having two different styles of toothbrushes on hand and alternate use daily.
•	*Watch Your Tongue:* a breeding ground for bacteria, brushing helps, but a tongue scraper allows you to reach further back and remove harmful bacteria.
•	*Drink More Water:* this will help lubricate your mouth from becoming too dry and will help wash food debris away. Water will also help the quality and quantity of your saliva.
•	*Use Xylitol:* a natural sweetener found in some chewing gum and mints. Xylitol does not break down like other sugars. Bacteria in your mouth cannot digest Xylitol and therefore cannot live, making xylitol a natural anti-bacterial.

Nighttime oral hygiene is extremely important. While you sleep, your mouth produces less saliva. Saliva is the body's natural defense against cavity-causing bacteria. With less saliva, bacteria in your mouth increases as does your risk for cavities and bad breath.

To keep bacteria from growing as you sleep, you will want to make sure that you brush, floss, and use mouthwash before going to bed so there is nothing in your mouth for bacteria to feed on as you sleep. Flossing between teeth and underneath the gum line is especially important. Flossing helps remove food particles that are stuck or from areas our toothbrushes are unable to reach and that bacteria need to feed on. Following up with mouthwash further helps to dislodge any remaining particles.

If you happen to be up in the middle of the night, grab a glass of water and give a quick rinse to help rid your mouth of bacteria that might be forming, and sleep well knowing that you have given your teeth the best nighttime oral care.

To learn more, give us Janice K. Pliszczak, DDS a call at (315) 800-5020 today.

What Our Patients Are Saying About Us Janice K. Pliszczak, DDS logo icon

Exceptionally Friendly!!

"You are put at ease the minute you walk into their new office on Broad Rd. Beautiful and calming surroundings. The staff couldn't be more helpful and are extremely friendly. Dr. Pliszczak is exactly what you want in a Dentist. Always concerned with your comfort, I never feel rushed, and I enjoy here friendly manner. And because of all of their meticulously thorough work, My teeth are as healthy as can be!!! Thank you Dr. Pliszczak, Jade and Nancy" ~Roamy F.

Oral HygieneSyracuse, NY

Oral Hygiene
Syracuse, NY