Daily Oral Care Basics
Daily Oral Care Basics – Brushing your teeth after every meal isn’t all you need to do to take care of your teeth. Watch this video for pointers on daily oral care basics.
Expert: Paul Fletcher, DDS Periodontics and Implant Dentistry, Specialized Dentistry of New York »
Transcript
You brush and floss-usually-every morning and night. Think you’ve got it covered, right? The truth is, it takes a LITTLE more than a quick cleaning to fight off cavities, gingivitis, and EMBARRASSING bad breath.
Here are four SUPER easy steps guaranteed to keep your teeth healthy and your dentist happy.
Step 1: Brush gently, but thoroughly twice a day, especially after meals. Be careful, Brushing more can irritate your gums. Whether you’re using a manual brush or an electric, for the BEST result, use a soft-bristled brush. Tilt the brush at a 45-degree angle AGAINST the teeth and gums as you move your hand back and forth in small, gentle strokes.
If you’re using a hand brush. The small back and forth motion helps get the bristles of the brush where you want them, between the teeth and the gum. If you’re using an electric, the brush will automatically move in the right direction. Make sure to spend EQUAL time on both sides of the tooth, and spend around 30 seconds in each quarter of your mouth. – This is LONGER than you think. You may even want to use a timer! .
Step 2: Floss. No matter HOW good of a brusher you are, the bristles of your toothbrush just CAN’T get into the spaces between your teeth where food and bacteria like to hide. If debris sits, it turns to a film called plaque. If the plaque isn’t cleaned off within 24 to 36 hours it can harden into TARTER, which can ONLY be removed by your dentist.
The good news: You REALLY only need to floss, gently but thoroughly once a day, PREFERABLY after you’ve done eating and before you go to sleep.
Step 3: Clean your tongue – yes, your tongue. Tongue hygiene is critical. Your tongue is often the MOST neglected part of the mouth and is the BIGGEST breeding ground for the bacteria that causes bad breath. Use a tongue scraper, which you can get at any drugstore — or even your toothbrush, to scrub away any whitish film that’s formed on your tongue. Do this thoroughly once or twice a day.
Step 4: USE mouthwash. Rinses are great for making your mouth feel fresh and they can also protect against tooth decay, but most are only short-term fixes. Look for a mouthwash containing chlorine dioxide to help fight bad breath and fluoride to help fight cavities.
For more great tips on keeping your smile radiant and mouth healthy, check out the other videos in this oral care series.
Last Modified: 2012-12-27 |
Category: Health and Nutrition, Videos
