At Home Dental Hygiene Tips #1
The teeth are naturally beautiful and strong. Keeping them that way takes daily effort and a good oral hygiene routine that includes a few different at-home dental tips that you can use. Practicing these tips each day can help you to keep your teeth resilient and your mouth healthy. Here are a few at-home dental tips that you can use to keep your teeth looking beautiful.
How to Brush Your Teeth
Everyone knows that you should brush your teeth each day, but did you know that you should do it a certain way? You should spend about 30 seconds on each quadrant of your mouth (lower right, upper right, lower left, upper left) to get the job done right. You need to make sure that you use toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. It is important to brush your teeth twice a day. This is perhaps the most important of all at-home dental tips.
How to Choose Your Toothbrush
With all of the talk about acid erosion and the loss of enamel on the teeth, many dentists are recommending that patients choose soft-bristled toothbrushes, particularly if they have a habit of brushing with hard strokes. It’s important to prevent the loss of tooth enamel in order to keep your teeth strong and resistant to decay. The rule of thumb is softer is better, and change your brush every three months. Any stain you cannot remove with a soft bristle brush—tartar or tannin from tea and curries for example—is best removed professionally by a dentist using ultrasonic scalers or air abrasion. Brushing with caustic toothpastes with a hard brush will strip the hard surface away quickly and can result in receding gums, abrasion cavities in the neck of your teeth, sensitivity and even devitalisation of teeth.
How to Remineralize Your Teeth
At-Home dental tips are useful for everyone. Using toothpastes and rinses with fluoride is a great way to remineralize your teeth, making them stronger and more resistant to decay. For longer lasting results, use a fluoride rinse before bed each night right after you brush your teeth with fluoride-enhanced toothpaste.
How to Choose Your Floss
Perhaps the least favourite of all of the at-home dental tips, flossing is an important part of any good oral hygiene regimen. If you find it difficult to get yourself to floss every day, set up a routine that will help to encourage you to do so. First, you should select the type of floss that is easiest for you to use, while also choosing a flavor (cinnamon, mint, or unflavoured) that you like.
Author: Dr Gerald O’Connor BDS NUI (hons)
Dr Gerald O’Connor is the principal dentist and owner of Killiney Dental. Dr O’Connor graduated with an honours dental degree from University College Cork in 1998. He has since worked as a general dental surgeon in the UK and Ireland and has over 20 years experience in the dental field, with a particular interest in cosmetic and restorative dentistry. Dr O’Connor is an active member of the Irish Dental Association, sitting on its Quality Patient Safety Committee, and is a Irish Dental Council registered dentist.