Simply Smile Dental Cleaning in Burnaby: Five Tips for Better at-Home Oral Hygiene

At Simply Smile, we offer comprehensive dental cleaning in Burnaby. You already know that oral hygiene plays a significant role in your overall health, but a visit to an oral health professional might be more beneficial than you think. Gum disease has been linked to health issues like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, preterm labour and even Alzheimer’s.

We recommend scheduling dental cleaning in Burnaby at least twice a year maintain optimal oral health. However, there’s a lot you can do to keep your smile bright and healthy at home. Hint—brushing and flossing aren’t always enough, but they are easy to implement into your everyday routine for smiles that will last a lifetime.

1) Use a soft-bristled toothbrush

Medium and hard-bristled toothbrushes can leave your teeth feeling cleaner, but the abrasiveness also damages tooth enamel. Tilt your brush about 45 degrees and brush in short, circular motions—harder isn’t better. Remember to replace your brush every 2-3 months.

2) Start brushing from the back

Do you have a favourite place to start brushing? Switch it up. Start by brushing the back of your mouth at least sometimes to give those molars the love they deserve. There are a lot of nooks and crannies in the back of the mouth, which makes this area more susceptible to gum disease. Work your way forward after lavishing your back teeth with extra care.

3) Use mouthwash

Brushing twice a day is a great start—consider adding an antimicrobial

 Mouthwash like Listerine to your routine to kill even more cavity-causing bacteria. Swish for 30 seconds twice a day to beat plaque and keep your smile smelling sweet!

4) Eat Teeth Whitening Foods

The right foods can help keep your teeth healthy and white. Coarse, crunchy foods like carrots, cucumbers, apples, and pears scrub tooth surfaces and can help remove some plaque accumulation for whiter, healthier teeth.

5) Watch out for acid and sugar

Enjoy sodas, sweet tea, and coffee in one sitting. Don’t sip throughout the day, which constantly exposes your mouth to the sugars that bacteria use as a food source—they metabolize it into lactic acid, slowly dissolving tooth enamel, making you more susceptible to cavities. Acidic food and drinks like orange juice can also temporarily soften enamel. Swishing with mouthwash or even water after a meal can help remove harmful bacteria. Pro-tip—chew a stick of gum to stimulate salivary flow, which flushes away bacteria and bathes the teeth with calcium and phosphate ions that help replenish tooth enamel.

Dental Cleaning in Burnaby

At Simply Smile, we offer teeth whitening and dental cleaning in the Metrotown area of Burnaby. Our dental hygienists deliver sparkling clean teeth with a comprehensive oral check-up to ensure teeth and gums are strong and healthy. If we find any issues, we can refer you to a dentist for follow-up. Learn more about our fast, flexible, and cost-effective dental cleaning services–there is no prolonged wait times, and we accept dental insurance, too!