Most people are intimately familiar with the tenets of basic oral hygiene—brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss at least once (preferably before bedtime), and visit your dentist every six months for a regular dental checkup and cleaning. Most people also know that skipping the toothbrush and floss isn’t a good thing, though many do it anyway from time to time. Yet, what if your smile got a clean bill of health at your last visit, and you’ve diligently brushed and flossed, sometimes more than twice a day? If your teeth are spotless and don’t hurt in the least, isn’t okay to skip the dental visit once in a while? The answer is no, and your Austin dentist, Dr. Van Wicklen, explains why.
Isn’t Brushing and Flossing Enough?
The purpose of brushing and flossing every day is control the buildup of dental plaque—the sticky, colorless stuff that sometimes sticks to your teeth, especially along your gum line. Plaque is more than just uncomfortable; it’s dangerous. At least, the over-600 different kinds of oral bacteria that form it are. (more…)