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Do You Do the Daily 4?

aubrierdh
Oct 3, 2015
2 min read

The focus of this year's National Dental Hygiene Month is encouraging optimal oral health through practicing the “Daily 4.”

We all know that brushing and flossing are both a must when it comes to daily habits to support our oral hygiene; but what makes up the other half of the daily 4?

Brushing 2x each day
Flossing daily
Rinsing with mouthwash
Chewing sugar-free gum

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While you’ve likely been told to be sure to brush and floss by your dentist and hygienist, many have not been instructed to implement rinsing and chewing gum into their daily routines.

So why are these two extra steps important?

Rinsing with mouthwash has several benefits for the health of your mouth. Teeth themselves make up less than half of the mouth. However, plaque and germs can live anywhere in the mouth. While brushing and flossing removes plaque and bacteria from the teeth, it does not work to remove them from other parts of the mouth, and only cleans about 25% of the mouth. This is where rinsing comes into play. Rinsing twice daily with an antimicrobial mouthwash can both lower plaque and bacterial load in your mouth and help resolve gingival inflammation (gingivitis).

Chewing sugar-free gum is a great alternative to cleaning the mouth after eating or drinking while on the go. Chewing sugar-free gum will stimulate salivary flow in the mouth, aiding in the natural cleansing of teeth. It will also help to lower the pH of saliva after consumption of an acidic meal or beverage, helping to prevent enamel erosion.

So, for optimal oral health--Do The Daily 4