You’ve probably have going to the dentist as long as you can remember as a little kid. Like some patients, maybe the busyness of life or the fact that not you’re an adult, you aren’t forced to see the dentist.

Maybe at one point your oral hygiene was important to you. As a kid, you did all you could to not get a cavity and get that prize reward. As you aged, however, the health of your teeth and gums has taken a back seat.

You may think that you don’t need to see the dentist. After all, your mouth looks and feels great, except for the minor tooth discoloration.

Here are reasons why both at-home oral care and regular visits to the dentist office are important in maintaining great oral health:

At-Home Oral Care

Most of your oral health is your responsibility. You only go to the dentist twice a year (or more if you have a dental issue). That means all the other days, you’re the only one to clean your teeth and gums and spot any irregularities.

Brushing your teeth and flossing take only a few minutes every day. Flossing and brushing your teeth on your schedule and in the privacy of your own home can’t get any easier.

Proper, at-home oral hygiene does mean more than just brushing for a couple seconds and flossing between a few teeth. You’ll need to start off with a soft-bristled toothbrush that is no more than three months old and fluoride toothpaste. Brushing for two minutes, twice a day and flossing on both sides of each tooth will dramatically lower your risk of tooth decay and gum disease.

What happens when you’re at work and can’t brush your teeth or floss? Swishing with water, in fact drinking a lot of water is a great way to clean out your mouth after eating or drinking beverages that can stain the teeth in between brushing.

Oral health conditions such as tooth decay and gum disease happen gradually. Skipping just one day of brushing or flossing can give cavity-, gum disease-, bad breath-causing plaque a foothold. This makes at-home oral care vitally important.

If you notice something doesn’t look or feel right in your mouth, you’re the only one who will notice. If the condition is severe, a visit to the dentist office may be in order.

You’re the only one who can care for and monitor the health of your mouth day in and day out which plays a big role in your oral health.

Regular Office Visits

Even if you already do all the abovementioned things as part of your at-home oral hygiene routine, regular visits to the dental office are still necessary. Why?

Those dental conditions or irregularities you found that are causing severe, chronic discomfort will be best diagnosed by a trained dental professional. A dentist will also know the best course of treatment to take.

Dental offices will also have more tools and equipment than what you have at home, including specialized tartar scrapers, powerful toothbrushes, and more concentrated toothpaste. The operation of such equipment by the hygienist will also allow for a deeper and more though cleaning of hard-to-reach places. Dentists can also deep clean your gums using special tools and procedures and ward off possible gum disease.

Your dentist, in short can offer the best, most effective treatment of dental issues and provide a deeper cleaning than what you can do at home.

Good at-home dental hygiene won’t ensure good dental health no matter how white and healthy your teeth look. Only relying on the occasional dental office visit and the dentist recommendations also won’t bring about healthy teeth and gums.

Both a solid at-home dental hygiene regimen and regular visits to the dentist office are needed to ensure the best care of your oral health.