In this article, we will talk a little about oral hygiene. Not everyone knows, but taking care of our mouth is extremely important for our body as a whole. Therefore, always keep an eye on how you are taking care of your oral hygiene!
Our teeth are not only responsible for our chewing, but are directly related to our self-esteem, the way we smile. It is also an important factor for our speech and communication.
We will give you some important tips below to help you take care of your mouth the right way! Stay with us!
Brushing
The recommendation for good oral hygieneis that teeth are brushed at least three times a day and for at least 2 minutes. The brush must have soft bristles and a small head to reach the most posterior regions of the dental arches (upper and lower teeth).
Worn bristles indicate that the brushing force is excessive, inadequate brushing can cause traumatic action on teeth and gums.
When it comes to oral hygiene care, attention goes far beyond the toothbrush. This is the case of “saw” or “mop” brushing, the “mop” method for cleaning the occlusals, which is the face of the teeth where we chew.
On other dental surfaces, large back-and-forth movements, whether horizontal, vertical or zigzag, can cause various oral problems, such as dental abrasion, retraction and canker sores (small balls or holes). of inflammation) in the gums.
Toothbrush care
- Replace the brushes at intervals that can vary from 30 days to 3 months, and it is necessary to observe the wear of the bristles and periodically clean them with mouthwash or bleach;
- Brushing the tongue, whose papillae (the little dots on the tongue that allow us to taste food) accumulate bacterial plaque that must be removed;
- Use a good non-abrasive toothpaste;
- Use of mouthwash;
- Dental floss that removes bacterial plaque and food in places where the brush cannot easily reach (between the teeth and where the teeth meet the gums).
Floss
In the books you will find different quotes regarding when to use dental floss, varying before or after brushing. Both the brush and the floss are responsible for cleaning 50% of the teeth, the brush cleans the inside and outside of the teeth and the floss cleans the sides.
For good oral hygiene and thorough teeth cleaning, you need to use both. It is generally recommended to floss first as a guarantee as brushing your teeth first could lead to neglecting flossing. In addition to flossing before brushing your teeth, food residues that are still stuck in your teeth are released so they can be eliminated during brushing.
Get the most out of flossing your oral hygiene
- Wrap approximately 40 cm of yarn around each middle finger, leaving approximately ten cm between the fingers.
- Holding the floss between the thumb and forefinger of both hands, gently slide it up and down between your teeth.
- Carefully pass the floss around the base of each tooth, going beyond the line where the tooth meets the gum, without causing any damage.
- Use a new piece of floss for each tooth to be cleaned.
- To remove the floss, move from back to front, removing it from between the teeth.
Different ways of brushing for oral hygiene
The ways of brushing are differentiated by movements used when brushing, how to hold the brush, regions and teeth reached by brushing and duration of the procedure.
1. Movements performed
- Horizontal scrubbing;
- Circular;
- Vibrating.
2.How to hold the brush
- Fist: closed hand, with fingers flexed around the brush handle; the four fingers flexed to hold the brush handle in one direction and the thumb does the same in the opposite direction.
- Distal: the four fingers are flexed to hold the brush handle. The thumb is supported on the brush handle, in the direction of the bristles.
- Spoon: the brush is grasped by a tweezer formed by thumb and index finger (and/or middle finger). The four fingers are united, slightly flexed.
Oral hygiene for teenagers
Adolescence is seen as a period of increased risk for maintaining good oral hygiene, with poor plaque control and reduced care with tooth brushing and changes in habits food, preference for quick snacks, snacks, gum and soft drinks and decreased discipline in brushing habits.
Teenagers take care of their oral hygiene and brushing more for aesthetic reasons and for breath with a pleasant smell and freshness, contrasting with the reasons for caring for our mouth such as preventing cavities and tooth loss.
Oral Hygiene for Adults
Brushing your teeth back and forth, in rubbing movements, is the method that most people use to brush their teeth, however it is very aggressive for the gums and can cause gingival retraction, which is when the gums It is lower, showing more of the root of the tooth.
Scrubbing movements, back and forth, are not recommended, as the force ends up injuring the gums, which can lead to gingivitis, in addition to gingival retraction.
The most recommended method for oral hygiene is to keep the direction of the brush pointed towards the gums with a firm rotational movement and finish by making back and forth movements on the occlusal surface.
Periodontal problems
In the case of people with periodontal problems, the brush should penetrate approximately 1 mm, gently, into the gingival groove, and the movements are vibratory.
Oral hygiene with orthodontic appliances
Recommended for people who use orthodontic appliances, who are undergoing periodontal treatment or who have fixed dentures. There are special brushes and threads for people who use braces or prosthetics. The inclination of the brush and the type of bristles that cannot be pointed at the gums, but directed towards the base of the teeth
Oral hygiene care for children
Recommended for people with reduced motor skills or small children, also known as the “ball” technique. With your mouth closed, make circular movements with the tips of the brush bristles on the teeth, on the cheek faces, internal surfaces, on the chewing surfaces of each tooth. This technique involves three basic movements:train, ball and broom.
On the occlusal surfaces of the molars, which are the posterior (back) teeth, we do thetrain, a back-and-forth movement always counting to 10. Then we do the ball, circular movements on the vestibular surfaces, always touching the tooth and gum to prevent gingivitis.
We do thebroom, sweeping movement, starting from the base of the tooth near the gums and going “up” and towards the cheek in the front and back of the tooth. p>
At night, when all the teeth are finished, the child should brush the upper part of the tongue. Dental floss can be used before brushing, making a rubbing movement, hugging the side of the tooth, similar to the movement of drying your back with a towel.
Oral hygiene with use of dental prosthesis
Anyone who thinks that when using dentures or prosthetics reduces care or can only be performed once a day is mistaken. Cleaning should happen after meals, waking up and before going to sleep. Bacterial plaques form and need to be removed.
The recommendation is to place the denture at night in a glass of water, preferably with a lid to avoid contamination, as it is extremely important to remove the denture before sleeping to relax the supporting tissues.
Cleaning the tongue is very important and can be done gently with a scraper or gauze. The whitish plaque on the back of the tongue is a sign of poor hygiene and can cause: halitosis (breath) and oral infections.
Remember the importance of visiting a dentist regularly, at least once a year.
