Home

Oral Care Tips

Dentist Centerville VA

Smiles for Centreville, located in Centreville, Virginia, is proud to serve our clients and provide them with comfortable and painless dental care for all their oral care needs. We are pleased to offer you both our expert cosmetic dentistry and restorative dentistry services. Our skilled team of professionals at Smiles for Centreville is able to meet any of your dental needs to restore and improve your oral health. 

The Smiles for Centreville team, led by Drs. Bruce Hutchison, Michael Gorman, Brigid Mooney, and Mallory Grossman, as well as our experienced staff of skilled professionals, currently serves Centreville, Chantilly, Manassas Park, Manassas, Gainesville, and all other surrounding communities. For more than 30 years, our office of highly trained dental practitioners and professionals has been providing the highest quality of dentistry to Centreville, VA and its surrounding areas including Fairfax, VA. 

We provide dental services to include family, cosmetic, and general dentistry, and have compiled several oral care tips we recommend that all our clients keep in mind to achieve a great and healthy set of teeth. Smiles for Centreville is pleased to offer the following tips as part of our dedication to our service.

Follow the Correct Brushing Technique

Even if you brush regularly, it may be possible that you are not following the correct technique to ensure a thorough clean. 

  • Your toothbrush should be placed at a 45-degree angle to your gums when you are brushing.
  • You should be moving your toothbrush in correct, tooth-wide strokes and gently brushing your teeth back and forth.
  • Make sure you brush down all surfaces of your teeth with your toothbrush, including your outer, inner and chewing surfaces.
  • Always clean behind your front teeth, make sure that you are holding your brush vertically, and that you are using up-and-down strokes.  

To be sure that you are brushing with the best possible technique. You should always try to brush for at least two minutes, distributing your time evenly across all your teeth. 

Your teeth are not the only part of your mouth that needs regular cleaning. The team at Smiles for Centreville strongly recommends to our clients that they pay special attention to the health of their tongues, which are crucial to maintaining oral health

Use a Tongue Scraper

Be aware that certain harmful bacteria can develop on your tongue, which can compromise your oral health. Bacteria that can grow on the tongue can also lead to bad breath. Most modern toothbrushes usually come with rubberized scraper heads. Always be sure to check your toothbrush on the side opposite of its bristles. If you are able to see grooves and bumps on your toothbrush, then your toothbrush has been designed for tongue cleaning. 

Once you have determined whether your toothbrush can be used effectively for tongue cleaning, begin brushing your tongue gently after you have finished cleaning your teeth. This brushing will remove bacteria and provide you with fresher breath. 

Use a Mouthwash Regularly

Aside from regular tongue scraping and brushing, there are many methods for maintaining consistently healthy dental hygiene that the Smiles for Centreville team recommends to our clients and the Centreville, VA community. Regularly using a quality mouthwash is essential for healthy teeth and gums. 

An antibacterial solution from oral care brands such as Listerine and Colgate can be used by most adults and children to fight harmful bacteria and keep the mouth fresh. Using a good mouthwash properly is essential to good oral hygiene. 

  • Be sure to gargle after you swish your mouthwash. This gargling will remove bacteria from the back of your mouth and top of your throat. 
  • Do not rinse after you use mouthwash, as this will make your daily cleaning less effective. 
  • Make sure to use a mouthwash that best suits your oral care needs. An antibacterial mouthwash can fight bad breath while also helping to prevent harmful gum disease. Cosmetic mouthwash is typically designed to whiten your teeth and freshen your breath.

Washing your mouth with a good, quality mouthwash at least once a day is enough for most people to maintain proper oral hygiene. Always make sure that you swish your mouthwash and gargle for at least 60 seconds.

Contact Us

If you or someone you know in the Centreville, VA area or surrounding areas needs a simple clean or a complex dental treatment, the team at Smiles for Centreville is able to meet your needs. We are eager for you to visit our website, contact us, or visit us in our office to learn more about the expert oral care services we are able to provide you. We look forward to helping you maintain your dental hygiene and improve your smile for a lifetime. Book an appointment with us now for you and your family, and experience the high quality dentistry Smiles for Centreville can provide.