Are you cleaning your teeth the right way?
- Jan 8, 2022
- 2 min read
Updated: Jan 17, 2022
The mouth is the mirror of the body. It reflects the overall health of the person. To maintain the well-being being of an individual oral Hygiene is recommended. Brushing 2 minutes a day while scrolling through your social media isn’t the correct way to clean your teeth.
Brushing is effective if you use pea-sized toothpaste. You must use the brush you are comfortable using. Conventional or electronic toothbrush depends on your convenience. The brushing technique is something that many professionals keep a secret. The most effective brushing technique is the Modified Bass Technique of Brushing for adults and Fones Technique for children. These names seem complicated, but the procedures are simple to follow. Instructional videos are available on YouTube. Brush 2 mins daily, two times a day- 30 seconds for the right side upper teeth and 30 seconds for the left side upper teeth. Repeat the same for all the lower teeth.
Fones technique of brushing for children |
The function of interdental brush and floss is to clean the space between two teeth. These devices facilitate proper cleaning and avoid hot spots for food stuck inside the mouth to develop into cavities. The demonstration for their usage is readily available on YouTube. For cleaning the tongue, tongue cleaners are sufficient and user-friendly.
Mouthwash is in fashion these days. Everyone is promoting the usage of mouthwashes without actually considering the amount to be used. The common malpractice is to take a cup of mouthwash and swish it for 30-60 seconds. A higher concentration of chlorhexidine mouthwash can cause staining of the teeth. Brownish external stains suggest frequent usage.
The correct way to use a mouthwash is to dilute it with water in a 1:4 ratio ( one part of mouthwash and four parts of water) and then use it. Chlorhexidine is the choice of mouthwash by most individuals.
One approach is to incorporate green dentistry. During the fourth year of my undergraduate study, I researched the usage of Papaya leaf extract against oral microbiota. Papaya leaf extract is famous for the treatment of Dengue. It is an anti-inflammatory as well as an antibiotic.
If you want to adhere to the newer method, usage of mouthwash is acceptable. Overuse and concentrated use of mouthwash is against advice. If not comfortable using a mouthwash, then probably swishing your mouth post every meal with water is sufficient.
Another habit to develop is a regular dental check-up. This ensures the identification of the diseases beforehand. Minimal and cost-effective treatment would be your gain from this habit. A yearly professional clean-up (Supra-gingival scaling) is healthy and quite effective.
I hope this article will make you realize the correlation between oral health and general health. Wouldn’t it be incredible if you rushed to the washroom post this article and brushed your teeth properly? But ‘Hey’ do not overdo it. Brush your teeth gently, don’t fight a battle with your teeth.
Source |
Dr. Mishika Arora
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