The importance of flossing and brushing has been ingrained in us since the early years of dentist visits way back in childhood. That scary man with the drill told us over and over to brush twice a day and floss, then our schools told us the same thing, and our parents. There’s no argument that brushing is a daily necessity that helps to keep your teeth and mouth clean and healthy. It’s because your teeth are important in many ways. If you take care of them, they’ll help take care of you. Strong, healthy teeth help you chew the right foods to help you grow. They help you speak clearly. And yes, they help you look your best.
Choosing Toothbrush
Toothbrushing tools date back to 3500-3000 BC when the Babylonians and the Egyptians made a brush by fraying the end of a twig. Choosing the right toothbrush is one of the most important things in oral care in order to keep your teeth clean and healthy.
What kind of Tooth Brush should I use?
There are several factors you should consider when choosing a toothbrush but the main ones are:
A soft bristled toothbrush should be chosen, as hard bristles tend to cause gingival recession. Soft bristles are more flexible and can can easily bend and reach the hard-to-reach areas of your teeth where plaque and leftover foods can lodge themselves into. Soft bristles can also brush the gum area without causing bruising or cutting of the gums.
The head should be small allowing it to effectively clean hard-to-reach areas of the teeth.
The handle should allow comfortable gripping by the user.
The shape of the neck or handle does not play any significant role (as claimed by manufacturers) in improving the effectiveness of a toothbrush and should be chosen on your preference.
Electric toothbrushes (Powered tooth brushes) can be a great alternative to a manual toothbrush for handicapped or bedridden patients, children, patients with Orthodontic appliances, patients lacking fine motor skills or other conditions that make it difficult to brush well. Your dentist might suggest a model with a rotating-oscillating head – which was found to be marginally more effective than manual brushing. This indicates that how you brush is much more important than the type of brush used.
When to replace your brush?
Dentists recommend that your toothbrushes should be replaced in the following circumstances:
After every 3 months of use,
After a cold or illness,
When the bristles lose their shape.
Choosing Toothpaste
It was only about 100 years ago that someone finally created a minty cream to clean teeth. Not long after that, the toothpaste tube was invented, so people could squeeze the paste right onto the toothbrush!
While toothpaste is a valuable adjunct to a toothbrush in oral hygiene, it is the correct brushing action that removes the plaque (a sticky mixture of bacteria, food and debris) from your teeth.
What type of toothpaste should I use?
The cleansing agents and particles in toothpaste help to remove the plaque from your teeth, keeping them clean and healthy.
Fluoride: Most toothpaste contains fluoride, which helps to prevent and control cavities. A tube of fluoride toothpaste contains fluoride levels of about 1,000 to 1,500 ppm. It’s important to use one with the right concentration of fluoride for you, or your child.
Children under two years age: Do not use any fluoride toothpaste unless instructed by a dentist.
Children aged three to six years: As children younger than six may swallow some of the toothpaste when brushing, so parents should supervise them when brushing. Children should be taught to spit and not to swallow toothpaste. Fluoride toothpaste when swallowed regularly and in considerable quantities may cause fluorosis (discoloration of enamel) in children. Use only a pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste.
Children over six years: Can use toothpastes used for adults without any supervision.
Sensitive Teeth: If your teeth are sensitive to hot or cold, choose a desensitizing paste with either strontium chloride or potassium nitrate as an added ingredient. Desensitizing toothpastes are made for short-term use and usually provide pain relief within a few weeks. Expect it to take about four to six weeks to see improvement in sensitivity. See a dentist if your teeth are still sensitive after 4 to 6 weeks of use.
Tartar Control: Brands of toothpaste that advertise “tartar control” usually have the active ingredient pyrophosphate. While it will not remove tartar, studies have shown that it will reduce tartar formation by up to 36 percent. Tartar (calculus) really can only be removed with a professional prophylaxis (cleaning).
How much should I use?
Most toothpaste ads give the impression that you need copious amounts of paste to work, but this simply isn’t so. A peanut sized blob is all that should be needed. Simply brush your teeth at a 45 degree angle towards the gum line and brush the front, back and between your teeth and you will find that the paste will foam enough to cover all your teeth.
It’s not just brushing that keep your teeth healthy, you also need to be careful about what you eat and drink. Remember, the plaque on your teeth is just waiting for that sugar to arrive. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables and drink water instead of soft drinks. And don’t forget to smile!