Developing a good oral hygiene at home is the most efficient way of preventing tooth decay, gum and oral diseases. The key to keeping your bright and healthy smile throughout your life is to practice and observe a good oral hygiene. Each of us is prone to cavities, gingivitis and other serious oral problems. Some of these problems may lead to:

1. Tooth loss. Tooth decay is the primary reason why some of the people suffer from tooth loss. It is also caused by the bacteria that clump together in your tooth that produces acids. It eats away the enamel of your tooth causing you to suffer from tooth loss.

2. Periodontitis. Periodontitis or also know as gingivitis is a gum infection that damages the soft tissue (your gums) and destroys the bone that supports your teeth. It can also cause tooth loss or on a worse case scenario, heart attack or stroke and other serious problems.

3. Mouth ulcers. Mouth ulcers, also known as mouth sores or canker sores are caused by stress or an injury inflicted to your gums. It usually lasts up to a week or two and may lead to some serious gum diseases when not treated quickly.

Some people would often say: “Prevention is better than cure”. In order to prevent these possible diseases from happening, you must observe proper dental home care. Here are some steps to take good care of your teeth at home:

1.    Brush your teeth daily. This is the most common advice that dentists would recommend to their patient. It is considered to be the most essential step to dental home care that includes brushing your teeth in the morning and at night before going to bed.

2.    Floss after brushing. A dental floss is a tool that is recommended by dentists to remove food build-up between your teeth. Dentists would advice their patients to floss right after brushing to ensure no bacteria build-up would happen.

3.    Use a mouthwash. Rinsing your mouth with a mouthwash after flossing will not just leave your mouth a clean refreshing feeling, but it will also ensure that there will be no bacteria build-up for some time.

It is mostly advisable to consult with your dentist first to identify the steps in proper dental home care rather than buy every over-the-counter product you will encounter, as this doesn’t ensure that you will be achieving the best outcome that you’re expecting.