Few people like to go to the dentist and exhaustingly treat their teeth. Therefore, it is worth following the rules for caring for them, and also for the tongue and gums. We tell you what is needed for this.
We learn to brush our teeth in early childhood and do it every day throughout our lives. However, according to experts, the vast majority of the inhabitants of the planet do it wrong.
It turns out that more time should be allotted for this simple task – statistics say that we spend on average about a minute brushing our teeth, while it should take at least three to properly process both jaws.
It is necessary to conditionally divide the teeth into several sections – the front ones above and below, the right ones above and below, the left ones above and below, and all the same, but for their inner side – and allocate 15 seconds for each.
Cleaning technique also matters. You need to start with the lower teeth, moving the brush from the bottom up and moving from the front teeth to the back. Then move on to the upper teeth, first brush the front teeth, then the back ones, but the brush movements should already be from top to bottom. To put it simply, in the direction from the gums, and not towards it.
After that, it is worth moving on to a language that many people completely forget about. It accumulates plaque from bacteria and food debris, which contributes to the development of an “unhealthy environment” in the mouth. The unpleasant odor is largely his merit. You can clean your tongue with a special scraper brush, or you can use a toothbrush. Movements – from the deepest part of the tongue to its tip.
Since childhood, we are used to brushing our teeth twice a day, while experts insist that this should be done every time after eating. And this also applies to the morning procedure – first you should have breakfast, then brush your teeth. Relentless statistics say that almost everyone does the opposite.
If it is difficult to organize a full-fledged cleaning during the day, you should at least arm yourself with dental chewing gum and an antibacterial rinse. If you add a thread to this, so much the better. By the way, it is also necessary to clean the interdental spaces with a thread during home cleaning – the main thing is to do it carefully so as not to injure the gums.
Brushes differ primarily in the degree of stiffness of the bristles – for those who have no special problems, bristles of medium hardness are suitable
Many do not know how to choose the right brush, trying to buy the hardest version possible in the hope that it cleans and whitens better. Meanwhile, an incorrectly selected brush can only add problems. You need to start from the condition of the gums and teeth – ideally, for this it is better to trust the dentist.
Brushes differ primarily in the degree of stiffness of the bristles – for those who have no particular problems, bristles of medium hardness are suitable. Stiff bristles are needed for those who are prone to increased plaque and tartar formation. But for those who suffer from bleeding gums and tooth sensitivity, soft bristles are intended.
You need to change the brush after 12-14 weeks, and not when it becomes shaggy, like a mop. The same applies to interchangeable heads for electric brushes.
Surprisingly, we even know how to choose toothpaste and mouthwash so-so. True, it’s not about aroma and taste – it’s just a matter of personal preference. But the composition should be chosen based on the state of the oral cavity.
Many toothpastes contain fluoride, which helps remove plaque, strengthen teeth, and prevent cavities. However, dentists do not advise chasing its high content – exceeding its daily norm is toxic.
If the tooth enamel is thin and the teeth themselves are sensitive, you should avoid toothpastes with aggressive bleaches, and instead look for chloride or potassium citrate and hydroxyapatite in the composition, which will help improve the situation.
With painful and bleeding gums, soft pastes with natural extracts and decoctions in the composition will come in handy: calendula, sage, chamomile and oak bark, for example, the most frequent of them.
Rinse aid, it turns out, is not an essential thing, and many dentists even consider them useless, if we are not talking about special treatment options prescribed by a doctor. If you are used to this part of the care and feel uncomfortable without it, they advise you to choose those that do not contain alcohol, and rely on the same natural extracts.