How Your Dentist Can Tell You'Re Not Doing Your Job At Home

Many people think that they can make up for six months of not brushing their teeth well with some serious brushing right before their upcoming dentist appointment. However, all those months of neglect will be difficult to correct in a few days. Your dentist knows when you're not taking care of your oral health due to the following signs.

Your Dentist Will See Plaque

Plaque is not something that goes away with a few rigorous sessions of brushing. That is because the plaque will harden from months of neglect, and be very difficult to move. It tends to build up close to where your teeth meet the gums, and causes your teeth to feel gritty.

You may think you can chip away at the visible hardened plaque between your front teeth, but there are plenty of places that your dentist will see notice. Even if you do manage to clear the hardened plaque on the front surfaces with a dental pick, there is likely a lot of plaque on the rear side of your teeth where you cannot see it.

Your Gums Start Bleeding

It is not normal for gums to bleed during a dental cleaning. Yes, your dentist may be using tools to clean your teeth, but healthy gums are not going to bleed all on their own. That bleeding is caused by plaque irritation from neglecting your oral health. A few good brushing sessions is not going to make the bleeding stop either.

Your best way to stop bleeding from happening is to properly brush and floss every day. This means taking the toothbrush and overlapping the head on your gums and teeth so that you can agitate the gums and remove plaque that is hidden under the surface. When flossing, you want to move the floss in the space between your teeth and gums and lift out the plaque between your teeth. You should not be focusing on the visible plaque that could be removed with a toothpick.

Your Teeth Will Have Cavities

No amount of brushing is going to fix decay that has already already formed. Your dentist will notice the decay immediately, and you'll need to have it removed and filled. Cavities can be spotted during a normal inspection, but can also be seen with X-rays.

If you feel like you are not doing a good job at cleaning your teeth at home, ask a dentist like David D. Childress, DDS for some tips that will help you improve on your own.

Share