The dental floss that you used as a dental hygiene product growing up still exists, but there are many other variants today. First, you can use flat dental floss. Dental floss used to come in one shape and size, but now it comes in different shapes and sizes. Flat dental floss is perfect if your teeth are very tight together. It still offers a nice, thick strip to clean with, but the thinner side allows it to fit in very tight spaces. Second, you can use the easy disposable floss sticks.

These sticks have a small piece of floss strung across like a slingshot, only tighter. That way you can get to every tooth without having the floss wrap itself tightly around your fingers and without getting your fingers all wet with your own saliva. Third, you can even get floss in various flavors. Some people are very picky about flavors and cannot stand the taste of unflavored floss. If you are one of these people, you can still use this dental hygiene product as it now comes in many different flavors!

One dental hygiene product that is relatively new but very, very popular is teeth whitening products that you can use at home. Instead of having to pay someone who went to dental hygiene school to whiten your teeth, you can now whiten your teeth from the comfort of your own home! These products are relatively cheap at around twenty dollars and pretty easy to use. There are many different brands and designs for the teeth whitening. Some have strips that you put directly on your teeth and leave on for a specific amount of time. Others have dissolving strips.

Crest is a brand that has continually pushed to improve oral health since its inception in 1955. Today, Crest is among the most trusted household brands, a value reinforced by the continued recognition of many of its products by the American Dental Association. Crest’s dream is to lead the way in the passionate pursuit of perfect oral health so that everyone can have a healthy, beautiful smile for life. Crest offers everything you need for dental hygiene products such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, teeth whitening systems, and mouthwashes.

Another whitens by painting your teeth with the whitening serum at night. Still another product has a whitening tray much like the ones used at the dentist’s office. Finally, there is a product that you simply roll onto your teeth like lip gloss. All of these products whiten your teeth at least a little. This is, by far, the best selling novelty dental hygiene product out there today!

Here’s a list of Do’s and Don’ts for keeping your oral hygiene the best it can be:

Oral Hygiene Do’s

* Visit your dentist regularly for check-ups and cleaning.
* Visit an orthodontist for an evaluation if you see any of the early warning signs of orthodontic problems.
* Have your child(ren) evaluated by an orthodontist by age seven. Many orthodontic problems can be more easily corrected before tooth and facial growth is complete.
* Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a soft-bristled toothbrush and a fluoride toothpaste.
* Floss between your teeth at least once a day, after dinner and before bedtime. (Tip: Use toothpaste on your floss for extra fresh breath.)
* Rinse and gargle with the mouthwash, ideally right before bedtime.
* Eat a balanced diet, limit between-meal snacks and eliminate sugary foods.
* Clean your tongue when your brush your teeth. (Tip: Instead of using toothpaste to brush your tongue, dip your toothbrush in mouthwash.)
* Drink plenty of liquids, especially water to keep your mouth moist. (Tip: If your mouth is dry, try sucking in your cheeks as if eating something sour to increase flow from the salivary glands.)

Oral Hygiene Don’ts

* Don’t forget to clean behind your back teeth.
* Don’t give mouthwash or fluoride toothpaste to young children, as they can swallow it.
* Don’t clean your tongue so hard that it hurts.
* Don’t rely on mouthwash alone too keep your teeth and gums clean and your breath fresh. Practice complete oral hygiene.
* Don’t ignore your gums – you can lose your teeth as well as have bad breath.
* Don’t drink too much coffee.
* Don’t smoke.