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Oral care at home

In the human body, the most microbes live in the oral cavity, where they nestle in crevices and roofs of teeth, on the tongue and elsewhere. We can reduce the amount of microbes and plaque in the mouth by brushing our teeth.

Proper oral hygiene requires:

  • a soft toothbrush;
  • toothpaste;
  • dental floss;
  • tongue scraper;
  • mouthwash;
  • toothpicks;
  • interdental brushes.

Toothbrush

The best toothbrush has a short head and soft bristles. The short head allows accessing tooth surfaces behind the back molars that are difficult to access. A hard toothbrush is not good because it can injure both the teeth and the gums and damage the exposed tooth neck. The toothbrush must be replaced with a new one when the bristles are worn. The toothbrush should be replaced every three months. Everyone should have their own personal toothbrush.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is an important cleaner of tooth surfaces and the ingredients in it provide additional minerals to dental tissues. The essential oils in toothpaste have a refreshing effect on the mouth and make the mouth feel good. The cavity-preventive effect of toothpaste is based on its fluoride content. Xylitol added to toothpaste together with fluoride increases the effectiveness of toothpaste. An important feature of toothpaste is its granularity, or abrasiveness. The degree of abrasiveness is determined by the nature and diameter of the substances in its composition. Toothpastes with low abrasiveness (sensitive) are more suitable for people with sensitive teeth and children. Strongly grainy toothpaste can damage tooth enamel with long-term use.

Dental floss

Before brushing your teeth, you should floss between your teeth to remove food debris and plaque from between your teeth. The floss is carefully moved back and forth between the teeth. When cleaning, it is necessary to follow the curvature of the teeth and avoid rubbing against the gums. In the case of larger interdental gaps, toothpicks and interdental brushes should be used to remove food and plaque.

Mouthwash

Mouthwash acts as a plaque growth inhibitor. Mouthwash does not replace mechanical teeth cleaning, but complements it.

Brushing teeth

Thorough tooth brushing lasts 2–5 minutes. During brushing, bristles must clean the surfaces of the teeth and massage the gums. The bristles must be directed at a 45-degree angle, semi-slanted, against the gum line and the crown of the tooth. Brush the outer and inner surfaces and chewing surfaces of all teeth with short back and forth movements.

Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. Brushing in the morning should be done before meals, and in evening before going to bed. It is not recommended to brush your teeth immediately after eating, because the tooth enamel is soft and brushing can damage the tooth surface. After daily meals, teeth should be rinsed with either warm water or mouthwash – this removes food particles still on the teeth. After brushing your teeth in the evening, you can drink water, but not juice, milk, etc. You should also stop eating or snacking. If you do so, however, brush your teeth again.

After proper brushing, tooth surfaces feel smooth to the touch with the tongue. This indicates that we have removed plaque and food debris from the surface of the teeth. To check the effectiveness of tooth brushing, you can also use plaque-staining tablets, which indicate areas that should be carefully cleaned again.

The tongue also needs to be cleaned, because after proper brushing, the microbes on the tongue get on the surface of the teeth. A tongue scraper or a toothbrush with a special tongue scraper can be used to clean the tongue.

The more bacteria accumulate in the oral cavity, the more we are at risk of bad breath and tooth and gum diseases. Proper daily oral hygiene helps to reduce problems in the mouth, keeps your teeth healthy and your breath fresh.