Our hygienists at Spring Creek Dental, Karie, Tania and Ashley, would like to share a few of their favorite tips to help you maintain a beautiful and healthy smile for a lifetime.
Brush the ones you want to keep! We recommend brushing your teeth twice a day, for at least two minutes. Whether you should choose to use a manual brush or an electric, be sure that it is soft-bristled and that the size and shape of the brush should fit the mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily. Proper brushing technique includes: Placing your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and gently moving the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes. Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces and the chewing surfaces of the teeth. To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes. Don’t forget to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and keep your breath fresh.
Please, don’t toss the floss! Although recent news reports have questioned its benefits of cleaning between your teeth, it is still an essential part of taking care of your teeth and gums. Everyone should clean between their teeth once a day to remove plaque that is not removed by brushing. Finally, because teeth alone account for less than half of the mouth, rinsing can help eliminate biofilm and bacteria that brushing and flossing cannot. Rinsing often, along with brushing and flossing, may help reduce the chance of dental decay and gum disease.
Finally, there is an important change upcoming for our military Veterans. On December 31, 2018, the TRICARE Retiree Dental Program (TRDP) contract and dental benefits under the current Department of Defense program will end. Beginning on January 1, 2019, the TRDP will be replaced by the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) which offers dental benefits comparable to the TRDP and a choice of ten dental carriers including Delta Dental. Enrollment in the FEDVIP will begin November 12, 2018 and run through December 10, 2018. In order to prevent a gap in coverage, TRDP patients and their family members must take action and enroll during the 2018 Federal Benefits Open Season at between November 12, 2018 and December 10, 2018. If you should have any questions about the carriers or plans offered through FEDVIP, please do not hesitate to contact us at 715-381-9710.
