Dentist Essentials To Oral Health

Your brushing and flossing techniques and your dedication to them are key to overall mouth health.

So simple, yet so important: brushing and flossing. These seem to be the only two rules of proper oral health care, and even though these are the two basic rules, there is a lot of technique involved. Most of us do not spend half the amount of time recommended by the dentist to properly care for our teeth. Your brushing and flossing techniques and your dedication to them are key to overall mouth health.

To begin, brush twice daily upon waking up and before going to bed. Dentists recommend brushing after snacks and meals especially after those that are highly sugary, sticky, or sweet. Using a soft or even extra soft bristled toothbrush, and fluoridated toothpaste, approach each tooth individually. Your entire brushing time should be two minutes, and most do not spend even half of that amount of time taking care oral hygiene. 

Dividing your mouth into quadrants of teeth, brush the fronts, backs, and biting surfaces of all the teeth in each section. The song Happy Birthday is often a frame of reference for children when learning how long to concentrate on a task at hand, and it is often suggested that the song or a similar childhood favorite be recited during brushing to gauge proper brushing time; however, the theory is misused. The song must be sung twice through on each of the previously mentioned quadrants for a total of eight times in order to reach your two-minute goal. It is also important to brush the tongue.

The two-minute theory is applicable to brushing only. Flossing, which dentists recommend to be done once daily, hosts a whole new set of rules. Some floss first, some brush first, but the general professional consensus is that as long as you are flossing, the order is irrelevant. 

Holding the floss between the thumb and the index finger and beginning in the back of the mouth, work it back and forth between each tooth letting it disappear into the gum line. Next, wrap the floss around the sides of each tooth to ensure the removal of plaque around the edges. Remove the string as you inserted it, back and forth gently. Popping the floss in and out of teeth can cause damage to the tender flesh of the gums. 

As far as additional or special products are concerned, dentists are only sticklers for soft bristle brushes and any kind of floss. Toothpastes run the gamut of specialties, but it is the fluoride that matters. Mouth washes, tongue brushes, rinses, water picks, and specialty toothbrushes usually are not harmful to the routine, and some products can make mouth health more approachable, but there is no getting around the foundation of oral hygiene. Twice daily brushing and once daily flossing are the essence.