Tips To Make Your Next Dental Checkup Less Painful

Many people dread going for their regular dental checkup. They will curse and complain all the way to the dentist… if they go at all.

Many would rather suffer the pain of a cavity than the picking and scraping of the dentist’s tools. Too many bad experiences have turned many off going.

Going to the dentist can be a painful experience. So, often the only thing that will get them to go is a nagging spouse.

You may think that the dentist doesn’t seem to care how hard they scrape your teeth, nor do they care about how much your gums bleed… that your dentist doesn’t take pity on you.

“He must be unfeeling,” you think to yourself. This probably isn’t the truth though.

In fact, most actually do care; that’s why they do what they do. If you truly want to know who doesn’t care, you may want to take a look in the mirror.

Who is it that has not spent the 2 minutes required to brush their teeth properly, or flossed at all in months? Who refuses to take care of their teeth in any way, allowing hard plaque to grow between your teeth?

It is not him. It’s you.

The dentist wouldn’t have to try so hard if you took care of your teeth. Gums would not bleed as easily if you had strengthened them by flossing every morning and night.

The whole experience would be quicker and much more enjoyable if you had taken the time to care for your teeth. In fact, it still can be transformed into a more pleasant experience.

How To Prepare For Your Next Dental Checkup

If your dental hygiene leaves a bit to be desired, there are a few things you can start doing to improve the overall health of your teeth so that your next dental checkup will be as pain-free as possible.

It simply revolves around going back to basics. Look after your teeth the right way, and your overall oral health will improve.

Here are a few basic tips to help you prepare for your next visit to your local dentist:

Brush Your Teeth For 2 Minutes

First, you need to brush twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening.

Brush for 2 minutes at minimum, moving along every surface. Moving plaque away before it gets a chance to latch on will do wonders for your teeth.

Get a softer bristle toothbrush because harder bristles can wear at your gums, causing them to recede, and can also wear the enamel. Softer bristles will also make the experience more enjoyable.

Floss Regularly

Your gums might bleed the first few times you do it, but it’s not serious. As you remove the plaque from around the teeth, your mouth and gums will get healthier, and bleeding will reduce. Soon you will be able to floss with no pain or bleeding at all.

This only takes about a minute but can be a bit awkward getting to the back teeth especially. Try using a flossing stick or a flossing fork to make the job easier.

My personal preference is to use a flossing fork, such as the Reach or Listerine Access Flosser. They make it super easy to get right up to the back teeth.

Use a Good Fluoride Mouthwash

Swish it around your mouth for about thirty seconds to make sure it penetrates every nook and cranny, and then spit it out. It will remove the last remaining villains from your mouth for the night, allowing nothing to eat away at your pearly whites for the next eight hours.

What About During The Day?

Although you should be brushing, flossing and rinsing twice daily, that still leaves a lot of time in between brushing where teeth can be attacked. So what can you do to help during these periods?

Obviously sugary foods are the main culprit, so try to avoid them (this may have other health benefits also). You want to try to avoid acid buildup, so drinking plenty of water and/or washing your mouth out with fresh water (especially after you eat or drink) can help reduce acid buildup, and also wash away any food buildup between the teeth.

Taking these simple steps can greatly improve your oral health.

Have you heard all this before? You probably have, but how good are you at actually doing it on a regular basis?

Remember, no matter how tired you are, you always have time to take care of your teeth. The whole process takes about two to three minutes.

You will never regret doing it. You, however, will regret every night you did not brush, floss and rinse when you stand trembling on the doorstep in front of the dentist when you next go for your dental checkup.