What Do You Need
Teeth Brush
The teeth brush needs to be soft or middle hardness, with oval ends of the hair, otherwise there is possibility of injuring the gums. It is good to choose a small head, so that you can reach anywhere with it, even the difficult accessible back teeth. The electric teeth brush makes the cleaning easier, but it can’t do the whole work. Again you need to use the right technique and take enough time for the teeth brushing.
After finishing, rinse your brush well out and put it in a place, where it can dry ordinary. Every three months, or even earlier, if you notice, that the hairs are malformed, it is time for a new tooth brush! It’s also recommendable to take a new one after infections of the mouth.
Tooth Paste
The main function of tooth paste is to support you by their mechanical cleaning. So choose one that has a nice and fresh taste for you. The amount of toothpaste enough for one cleaning, has the size of a pea. Some pastes (for example the bleaching ones) contain larger, abrasive particles. They are not suitable for permanent use, as they can damage the surface of the teeth, especially combined with improper brushing technique. If you are using such paste, it is advisable to alternate with an “ordinary” one.
Proper Brushing Technique
It is recommendable to brush your teeth two times a day, morning and evening, for 2-3 minutes. Place the brush at an angle to the neck of the tooth. Start cleaning with circular motions, by “sweeping” the plaque always from the gum to the tooth (from red to white). Horizontal “scrubbing” is appropriate only on the chewing surfaces of the teeth. Spend enough time for all the teeth and always clean in the same order, so that you don’t miss anything.
Too intensive horizontal scrubbing and / or too much pressure can lead to abrasion of the cervical enamel and damage your teeth.
Dental Floss
Dental floss is as important as the tooth brush. Only it can clean the spaces between the teeth, which the brush can not reach. It is recommended to use it once a day after brushing the teeth. Tear off a long piece, so that you don’t have to use the same spot of the floss twice. Push it between every two teeth carefully to avoid the risk of injuring the gums. After passing the resistance of the tooth contact, clean the front and the back tooth and get back out. In this way go through all interdental spaces.
There are different types of dental floss. If you are unsure what to choose, let your dentist advise you which one is suitable for you.
Mouthwash
The mouthwash is the last addition to proper maintenance of oral hygiene.
There are ordinary mouthwashes, suitable for daily and constant use. Their main goal is to freshen your breath and wash away plaque left in your mouth after flossing.
There are also antibacterial mouthwashes, which are recommended when”more intense” hygiene is needed, for example by inflammations available or after operations. They should not be used continuously.
Additional Еxtras
Interdental Brushes
They are good for cleaning larger interdental spaces and under bridges and other fixed structures. There are different sizes and shapes. Suitable for you is the size that fills the entire empty space, that you want to clean, without hurting the gum.
Oral Shower
A good option to remove food debris and plaque, but only if they have been previously detached from the teeth with the brush. That means it is in no way an alternative to brushing.
The oral shower is not recommended for patients with severe periodontitis.
Tongue Brush
On the surface of the tongue also numerous bacteria get collected, which may cause not only bad smell, but also changed (whitish, yellowish) color display. With a tongue brush you can remove them by cleaning the surface from bottom to top. In this way you will not only have a fresh breath, but you can also improve your taste sensitivity.
Good maintenance of oral hygiene is the basic prerequisite for preserving the health of your teeth. It is therefore extremely important not just to brush your teeth, but also to know how to do it correct. If you are not sure how well you are doing, ask your dentist for assistance. He will explain to you the described techniques and will help practicing them.
