Most people believe they’ve got a pretty good handle on teeth cleaning from lessons they got when they were little or observing their parents. However, research is ongoing for all things medical , which includes things as basic as toothbrushing. Research dentists have found out quite a bit about tooth care by way of long term studies and tooth cleaning simulations. Techniques we used to think good have been proven false or even hurtful. By keeping up with the latest findings in dental hygiene, you’ll be able to keep your teeth throughout your life.
We used to think that using a harder toothbrush with a bigger head and sawing at our teeth with long horizonal strokes was the way to go about dental hygiene. We’ve since learned that that’s about the worst possible way to go about it over the long term. That sort of dental care works quite well in the short term , but over the life of your teeth it will start cutting into the base of the tooth. This goes even faster if your gums start receding , because below the gumline the tooth is covered by cementum instead of enamel. Enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, while cementum is softer . Even enamel will give way under years of onslaught by hard toothbrush bristles, but cementum will give way much sooner. You can think you’re doing right by your teeth only to find out that you’ve cut a deep, painful groove around the base of each tooth.
The best way to start a healthy dental hygiene habit is to find the softest brush you possibly can with the smallest angled head. Use this on your teeth by brushing vertically from the gum up to the crown of each tooth and back down again. Never use long, sawing, horizonal strokes on your teeth with any sort of brush. When you are choosing a toothpaste, you want to look for things like added flouride , anti-plaque properties, antibacterial ingredients, and a long-acting addition if at all possible. By taking the time to compare properties and ingredients in the supermarket, you can get the best possible materials for your ongoing dental hygiene .
Flossing is also an important part of tooth care, even though it’s one of the least common practices . If pursued properly, you’ll do it at least once a day . The best time to do it is right before the nighttime toothbrushing. By flossing then, you brush the debris of flossing away to where it’s not there in your mouth throughout the entire night. Use a piece of dental tape to lightly scrape up and down the sides of the teeth just once. Improperly used floss can saw through the base of the teeth just as easily as a toothbrush can. However, debris caught between the teeth is a leading cause of periodontal disease, something people forget when they decide to skip flossing .
The key to cleaning your teeth is gentle persistence. You don’t have to scrub hard or saw with the floss every day, but you do need to use proper toothbrushing technique every day . You also need to go to your dentist at least twice a year for a professional toothcleaning. Your dentist’s office has the equipment and know-how to get everything off of your teeth that you can’t get with your equipment at home . By paying just a bit of attention to your dental hygiene and persisting in a daily toothcleaning habit, your teeth will remain strong for the entire time you need them .
