You all know we are celebrating the dental hygiene month this October. Please read our blog Dental Hygiene to know the basics of what dental hygiene is and what happens when we don’t take care of it. Most people generally are aware of these basics of what should a dental hygiene routine be like, that is –
- Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.
- Floss daily.
- Use antibacterial mouth wash.
- Visit your dentist regularly.
In today’s blog however we want to delve deeper into the above topics like what is the proper technique to be used for brushing and flossing and much more. So let us begin with how to brush properly!
How to brush properly?
All oral care routines begin with brushing our teeth. Here are some things you must keep in mind while brushing your teeth to make it an effective activity –
- Brush your teeth twice a day for at least 2 minutes each time. Don’t brush more than that as it may be harmful.
- Use a soft bristled brush with a small head that can reach the difficult to reach areas in the mouth.
- Use fluoride toothpaste. There are other kinds of toothpastes available for specific requirements like teeth whitening, sensitive teeth and fighting cavities. Consult your dentist for the same.
- Place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to the gums while brushing.
- Brush in gentle circular strokes or back and forth over the surface of the teeth.
- Make sure you brush all the surfaces of the teeth outer visible, inner not visible and the chewing surfaces. To clean the inside surfaces of the teeth tilt the head of the brush at a vertical angle and use up and down strokes.
- Start brushing from the back of the mouth.
- Brushing your teeth must be the last thing you do before going to bed.
- You can use either a manual or an electric toothbrush. Electric ones are handle for people who have difficult in holding or moving manual brushes.
- Adults should use only pea sized amount of toothpaste for brushing their teeth. Anything more can be harmful.
- Spit out the excess toothpaste before rinsing your mouth with water.
- Younger children must be supervised while they brush their teeth.
- Don’t brush too hard as it can harm your gums.
- Always rinse your brush afterwards and put it in an upright position so that any excess water drains off and let it air dry.
- If the bristles get frayed change the toothbrush. Even if they don’t change the brush every 3 to 4 months.
- Never share your toothbrush with anyone.
- Try to keep your toothbrush away from others. Let them not touch each other as that can spread the germs.
How to floss properly?
Flossing is a critical part of oral care but you must do it right for it to be impactful. Here are some things you must take care of –
- Take 30 to 45 cms of the string dental floss and grip the floss tightly between your thumb and forefingers.
- Hold the floss between the teeth and start from the base near the gum line.
- Move the floss up and down along the surfaces of the teeth to dislodge the stuck food particles.
- When you reach the gum line curve it against a tooth making a c shape and gently move it back and forth.
- Do not snap the floss as it can be painful.
- Floss one teeth at a time. Use fresh floss as you continue cleaning further.
- You can use a string dental floss or a water flosser or dental pick or a pre threaded flosser whichever suits you the best.
- It does not matter if you brush your teeth before flossing or vice versa.
Other things to do
- Use an anti bacterial mouthwash after brushing and flossing. Do not use the mouth immediately after brushing as it may wash away the fluoride of the toothpaste. Swish the appropriate amount of mouth wash in your mouth for at least 30 seconds before spitting it away. Keep your lips closed while swishing the liquid in your mouth. To read more about mouthwash read our blog on the subject.
- Make sure you use a tongue scraper to clean your tongue. Use it gently and rinse your mouth with water afterwards.
- Eat a healthy nutrient filled diet. Avoid smoking, tobacco products, coffee, tea, acidic food substances and sugary drinks.
- Visit your dentists every 6 months. Get your teeth cleaned professionally also at regular intervals so that the hard to reach areas in the mouth are also cleaned thoroughly and there is no plaque or tartar buildup in the mouth.
These tips and techniques may look like a lot to do and cumbersome when you read them but they are quite easy to and you will not even notice them once they become part of your daily dental care routine.
Please let us know how many of these you already knew and were implementing in your daily oral care routine and which ones you never knew about but would not be implementing.
If you would like to know more call Ensure Dental Care (the family dentist near you) on 940-274-3229 to schedule an appointment. Ensure Dental Care is the one of the best family dental clinics at Saginaw Texas. We accept all major insurance providers. We also have in house payment plan. We have a very experienced team of dental practitioners and we look forward to serving you the best of our abilities.
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