The first step is to choose a good
toothbrush. You always want to use a soft brush with a small head. A soft
brush is hard enough to remove plaque and soft enough not to damage your
teeth or gum.
The next issue is to
choose a good toothpaste. In general any toothpaste that contains Fluoride
will do the job, unless you have a special need that is determined by your
dentist. Two of the best brands of toothpastes are Colgate Total and Crest
Multicare.
The
first rule of brushing is to start from a specific location and work your
way to the opposite side and all the way through the whole mouth so that you
end where you started. This way you won't miss any area. Also usually a pea
size of tooth paste is
enough.
A good brushing should at lease take 2 minutes and ideally around 4 minutes.
There
are many different techniques for brushing your teeth but one of the most
popular ones is described here:
Hold
the brush with a 45 degree angle toward the teeth and the gum. Gently press
against the gum so the tips of the bristles go in between the gum and the
teeth. Then apply lateral vibration for a few times and roll down the brush
to sweep the plaque away from the teeth and the gum. Repeat this motion 6 to
10 times and move on to the next area of 2 to 3 teeth. If your mouth is full
of foam, spit out and continue brushing. Your brushing is completed when you
have brushed all the surfaces of your teeth and not when your mouth is full!
On
chewing surfaces, short strokes will work best to get the plaque out of the
grooves and pits. Also when brushing the front teeth from inside, hold your
brush vertically to be able to reach the teeth better.
As far
as frequency of brushing is concerned, ideally you want to brush your teeth
after each meal. But if you can t, brush at least twice a day after
breakfast and before going to bed.
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The surfaces that are between teeth are
not accessible to brush; Therefore, the best way to clean them is with
flossing. The frequency of flossing is like brushing and ideally after each
meal, though one time a day (before going to bed) is the minimum necessary.
To
start, cut a piece of dental floss (approximately 2 feet). Wrap both sides
of the floss around your middle fingers. Using your index and thumb move the
floss in between all your teeth one by one. When flossing, make sure you are
not cutting your gum. The goal is to clean the teeth surfaces and not the
gum. In each space in between the teeth, press the floss against each tooth
(hug the tooth) and gently move it back and forth and up and down and then
move to the opposite surface of the adjacent tooth.
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There have been multiple studies comparing
the effectiveness of manual brushes as opposed to electric brushes.
Although
not all the electric brushes are the same, in conclusion of all these
studies it is fair to say that in general electric brushes are more
effective in controlling the plaque than manual brushes. Theoretically you
could do a very good brushing with a regular hand brush but the movements of
an electric brush makes the task easier and more efficient. Also, some
electric brushes (Sonicare) have sonic vibration that is difficult to mimic
with a hand brush! Other electric brushes like Oral-B and Rotadent have
small heads that help you reach hard to reach areas of your mouth. This
aspect is more important when you are talking about somebody with
orthodontic braces or a history of gum disease.
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There are a few different causes for bad
breath. It ranges from stomach problems to diets and teeth problems. Most of
the causes can be found in the mouth, they are:
1- Tongue (when bacteria
grows in between the papilla) 2- Teeth cavities (especially when food
particles get stuck in them) 3- Gum diseases 4- Extraction sites during
healing 5- Dentures when not cleaned properly 6-Alcohol and tobacco
If you
or someone you know is concerned about bad breath, the first step is a
dental check up. Your dentist will be able to confirm or rule out teeth or
mouth as the source of bad breath.
When
the reason is found, treatment will be explained by your dentist. If the
source of the bad breath is your mouth there is little chance that mouth
washes or mints can treat the problem. They usually mask the problem for a
short period of time. They can even sometimes make the situation worse
(mouthwashes that contain alcohol cause dry mouth and that usually makes the
bad breath worse).
These
are a few other, non-dental reasons that cause bad breath:
1- Sore
throat 2- Tonsillitis 3- Some foods 4- Infection of air passages.
Following a good oral hygiene routine and getting regular check ups with
your dentist are best ways of preventing bad breath.
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Sugar is the main cause of dental decay
when there is bacteria present. More important than the amount of sugar you
take is the frequency of it.
Probably the worst thing
you can do to your teeth is to hold a soda and have a sip every few minutes
during a long period of time; the same is true for snacking. It is
recommended that if you want to have a snack or a soda or juice it is better
to have it after food, as dessert or have it in one sitting. Eating or
drinking something sweet during a long period of time creates a constant
supply of sugar for bacteria that cause tooth decay!
It is important to know
all the sources of sugar. It is not just everything that is sweet but
anything that can turn to sugar like pieces of bread. Cutting down your
sugar intake is good for cavity prevention as well as general health.
When you have to have
sugar! The best way to prevent cavities is to prevent the sugar from staying
next to your teeth. Brushing after eating sugar, rinsing your mouth with
Fluoride mouth wash or chewing sugarless gum can help. But nothing has the
effect of avoiding sugar!
Is there any kind of food
that prevents tooth decay? Well, not really. Some people believed that
chewing foods like apple and carrots may have some plaque removal effect,
but they still contain some sugar so any advantage of them is not clear.
Another group of food
that causes significant damage to teeth structure is acidic foods. Things
like lime, lemon and grapefruit, if in frequent contact with teeth, can
cause serious irreversible damage (erosion) to your teeth.
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Many years ago scientists started to
notice that children who were born and raised in areas with natural fluoride
in drinking water had less cavities than children in other areas.
Fluoride that is absorbed
by your body when teeth were forming (during mother s pregnancy to early
childhood) integrates into the structure of enamel and makes it stronger.
After teeth eruption
fluoride that is inside your toothpaste or mouthwash, or what your dentist
places on your teeth still have a positive effect on your teeth. It
strengthens the enamel and reduces the chance of tooth decay.
If you
have children and live in an area that has no Fluoride in its drinking water
you should consult your dentist and physician about Fluoride tablets that
are available for children.
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