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How To Properly Brush Your Teeth | Ottawa Dentist

Hopefully, you are brushing twice per day, every day, practicing those tips and tricks you learned as a kid. If you aren’t brushing twice daily, or are wondering if your technique is giving you the clean you need, here are some easy brushing dos and don’ts to keep in mind:

What You Should Do

– Use a 45-degree angle when brushing

– Use short, side-to-side strokes

– Brush gently, a light touch helps prevent wear and tear on your enamel

– Brush at least twice a day, especially after consuming something sugary or acidic

– Change your toothbrush every 3-4 months

– Brush for a full 2 minutes; set a timer if you need to

– Allow your toothbrush to air dry

– Store your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet away from other bathroom germs

– Use a soft-bristled toothbrush that is gentle on your tooth enamel

Things You Should Not Do

– Store your toothbrush on the sink counter where bathroom particles can get on it

  • Keep your brush flat
  • Use long strokes, short strokes are more effective
  • Brush with force

– Use the same toothbrush for life

– Brush for less than two minutes

  • Keep your toothbrush in a closed container
  • Use a stiff bristle

If you keep these tips and tricks in mind, your enamel and overall oral health will be much better off for it!

Schedule your appointment today. Call Dr. Katia Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.urbandentalcentre.com.

Dr. Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Let’s Celebrate World Oral Health Day! | Ottawa Dentist

We all know that our health is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, many of us don’t link oral health to general health, even though it’s DIRECTLY linked to our overall health. We breathe with our mouths, eat and drink with our mouths, if there is a way for a germ to get into our system, it’s likely through our mouth. And this is why it is so important to keep up with our oral hygiene.

According to the FDI World Dental Association, oral diseases affect nearly 4 billion people around the globe, including gum disease, oral cancer, and tooth loss. About 30% of people between the ages of 65 and 74 have no natural teeth.

What better way to celebrate World Oral Health Day than to take stock of our dental health practices? You may think your dental professional holds the keys to your optimal dental health, but it is our duty to keep up with our dental hygiene in between dental appointments. Here are some things to keep in mind:

Brush regularly. You may brush your teeth daily, but it needs to last at least two minutes.

Flossing. Flossing your teeth on a regular basis is ideal to get food and debris in areas a toothbrush can’t reach.

Rinse with mouthwash. Using a mouthwash daily loosens leftover food debris and plaque, just make sure it is ADA approved.

Lose the tobacco. Avoid cigarettes and chewing tobacco, as these types of products contribute to gum disease.

Get healthy. Keeping up a healthy diet will provide the nutrients that are necessary to prevent gum disease.

Visit the dentist. Visiting your dentist regularly for checkups, teeth cleanings, and other dental procedures needed to keep your mouth healthy.

Schedule your appointment today. Call Dr. Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.urbandentalcentre.com.

Dr. Katia Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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New Year, New Dental Hygiene Habits | Ottawa Dentist

Now that we have begun 2022, it is important to know that change is afoot for many of us. We all have some goals set for the new year, and many of them have to do with health. Unfortunately, many of us forget about our dental health when making these changes. But it’s true – dental health should be a top priority because our general health is directly linked to our dental one. And the first step? A clean toothbrush. 

The best way to limit the bacteria in your mouth is to brush your teeth. And what do we use to do this? A toothbrush. But if you’re neglecting your toothbrush, it begins to neglect you. The best way to keep those cavity creeps away is to replace your toothbrush on a regular basis. In fact, we need to swap out our toothbrushes every three to four months. If the bristles become frayed, you’re sick, or you have a weak immune system, it’s time to exchange our toothbrush. If you use an electric toothbrush, throw out the head as often as you’d discard a disposable toothbrush. 

As for habits, start and close each day with a clean mouth. Because every time you’re tempted to skip brushing and flossing your teeth, remember that bacteria lurk in your mouth – and that they cause gum disease, and decay, and bad breath. Make sure you’re brushing and flossing as often as possible to eliminate some of those bacteria. Rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash before or after brushing can also help reduce plaque-causing bacteria that can lead to early forms of gum disease. It’s a new year – why not start with a healthy smile? 

Schedule your appointment today. Call Dr. Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.urbandentalcentre.com.

Dr. Katia Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Dental Tips for the Baby Ones | Ottawa Dentist

When becoming a new parent, there are loads of resources available to help guide you through every step of the way. But one area that tends to be overlooked, by even the most attentive parent, is dental care. If the baby doesn’t have teeth, why would this even be a concern, right? Wrong. Just because your tiny human doesn’t have teeth, doesn’t mean their mouth should be ignored. The more pristine the conditions are when teeth do decide to make their appearance, the healthier they will be.

In order to stay on top of your baby’s future smile, here are some tips to keep in mind as their teeth prepare to come in:

Baby bottle tooth decay occurs when sweet liquids, like juices or formula, linger around in your child’s mouth. When you put your child down for a nap with a bottle of formula, or dip a pacifier in some sugary syrup, bad bacteria indulge in the sugars they crave. This causes teeth to decay and become more prone to infection as they continue to come in. Water is a better option during sleeping hours.

But they’re going to fall out – does it matter if they fall out prematurely? Losing teeth too early can cause issues with speaking, eating or other dental issues going forward. We need to look after all of our teeth, regardless of when they show up.

As for a dental routine – if your child doesn’t have teeth yet, make sure to wipe down their gums with a cloth after they eat or drink anything. As teeth begin to come in, brush them without toothpaste. As they continue to grow, make their first dental appointment. You dentist will be able to offer any recommendations you will need going forward.

Schedule your appointment today. Call Dr. Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.urbandentalcentre.com.

Dr. Katia Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.

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Keeping Your Routines Is Important | Ottawa Dentist

If there is anything that we know at this time, it’s that we don’t know very much. Our daily lives are changing every day, but there is one thing that remains clear – to remain healthy, keep your hands clean. The second rule? Don’t touch your face. The thing to remember here is that germs love to invade our bodies through our mouths, so keeping our mouths clean and healthy is very important right now. When you think about how much time you spend on your teeth, it is important that you don’t take things lightly. Brushing your teeth roughly for a few seconds each day isn’t properly taking care of your teeth. Choose a soft bristled toothbrush and gently brush your teeth in a circular motion for two minutes, making sure to take time in each quadrant of your mouth (tops and bottoms, left and right sides). Flossing is a step many of use think of as a chore, but it is doing the extra steps to ensure nothing is allowed to set up camp inside our mouths. Choose your own variation, but make sure you floss at least once a day to get in between our teeth the way brushing can’t. The more places bacteria have to set up camp inside your mouth, the easier dental issues will arise later on down the line. Rinsing with mouthwash is a thirty second journey that will disinfect our mouths the way brushing and flossing can’t. Using it beforehand to loosen things before you brush is an option, and a rinse afterwards will add a nice finish to what a great job keeping our mouth clean. Prevention is the best way to keep ourselves healthy, and our dental health is on the frontlines of the health of our whole body. If you would like more information about dental hygiene, call Dr. Katia Doumit in Ottawa, Ontario at 613-232-8000 or visit www.lesplanadedental.com. Dr. Doumit proudly serves Ottawa and all surrounding areas.