How To Properly Care For Your Oral Cavity

What is plaque

Dental plaque forms on the teeth - an excellent substrate for the vital activity of bacteria. The more plaque remains, the more actively bacteria multiply, acids are released that destroy the hard structures of the teeth, and toxins that cause inflammation of the gums. Plaque mineralizes over time and turns into tartar, which is more difficult to clean. Bacteria accumulate underneath, hygiene becomes difficult, and problems worsen. Therefore, it is important to brush your teeth, clean the surface of your teeth from plaque and remove food debris.

How to brush your teeth

Teeth brushing technique is very important. Movements should be displaced from the gum to the occlusal surface of the tooth or the cutting edge. The toothbrush should be comfortable, the working part should correspond to the size of 2-2.5 teeth, that is, not very large. Large and hard brushes are much less flexible than soft brushes with a small head. Hard brushes will often scratch the enamel and damage the gums. There are special brushes for those who wear braces, with a depression along the equator of the brush. It is important to understand that both the brush and the brushing technique are important in brushing your teeth.

We should also mention electric toothbrushes - a very good invention, useful. However, there are various contraindications, for example, the presence of chronic generalized inflammation of the gums. In such a situation, inflammation can only worsen due to the wrong method of cleaning.

How to brush your teeth

After we have decided on the meaning of brushing our teeth, it is important to understand where and how to brush. Five surfaces of the coronal part of the tooth (there is also a root) can be distinguished, which come into contact with saliva and on which plaque is formed. These are smooth surfaces on the vestibular and oral sides, the occlusal surface or incisal edge and two contact surfaces between the teeth. Risk areas for caries formation are most often the sides of the chewing surface and contacts between teeth. The vestibular, oral and chewing surfaces are perfectly cleaned with a toothbrush; dental floss and tooth brushes are used to clean the contact surfaces.

It is possible and necessary to choose hygiene products based on individual characteristics, habits and the state of oral health. It is best if your hygienist or dentist can help you with this. In full health, it is enough to use a soft toothbrush, neutral prophylactic toothpaste, dental floss or a small brush. If you have bad habits, for example, smoking, your doctor may recommend pastes that have different properties: they bind pigments from tobacco, and remove the feeling of dry mouth.

With gum disease, toothpastes with active anti-inflammatory components are often prescribed. It is very important not to self-medicate, many active components of toothpastes need to be applied in a course, and not constantly. Safe dental gels that are swallowed and do not contain fluoride are recommended for young toddlers (1-6) years of age. The fluoride content in toothpaste is determined depending on the region of residence, on the situation in the oral cavity. Fluoride is toxic in large quantities. For small children I recommend fluoride-free pastes based on calcium compounds.

Various toothpastes have active ingredients that take time to take effect, so I recommend brushing your teeth for at least 2 minutes.

On a note…

Rinses, sprays can be a good addition to daily hygiene procedures, but I want to note that in most cases rinsing your mouth with water is enough. Various sprays and rinses may contain antiseptics, alcohol, fluoride, so it is best to consult your dentist before using these rinses.

Do not forget about professional oral hygiene every six months. It happens that it is enough to adjust the diet to reduce the rate of plaque mineralization and avoid the formation of stones. In addition, the high salt content depends directly on the composition of saliva, which is genetically determined.

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