For many years, we have adapted to the idea that our dental health only needs 2 things: a toothbrush and toothpaste. We do not even have any qualms when it comes to brands and product models. Whether yours is a manual or electric, what we prioritize is our toothbrushes ‘ ability to clean and brighten our teeth. Now that so many people fixate on physical beauty and the appeal that one gets from a simple smile, some go the extra mile. They even willingly check out Dental Excellence’s clinic in Canberra, ACT, or any reliable dental clinic near them to get the best recommendations for your at-home dental tool kit.
Dental Health: A Part of your Personal Care
The enormous array of goods available in the oral healthcare section at your drug store might make your head spin. Take a look at the dental floss options: Do you want your floss waxed or unwaxed? Is it better to use tape or traditional methods? Can you have a brilliant smile without mouth rinses, oral irrigators, and over-the-counter whitening solutions? Do you need to visit a clinic for these?
Here’s how to make appropriate teeth-cleaning choices, from your toothbrush to a tongue scraper, to maintain your smile brilliant and your mouth healthy.
Ways to Maintaining Good Oral Care
Periodontitis (gum issues), dental caries, plaque and tartar buildup, tooth decay, tooth loss, persistent bad breath, and even infections and inflammatory diseases can travel from the mouth to other regions of the body. Dentists trace this all back to poor dental and oral hygiene.
Your dental provider would advise you to maintain frequent trips to your family dentist and periodontist. This can help prevent getting and developing dental and periodontal problems since you and your dentist can discover them early enough to correct them.
However, it is far preferable to manage oral health concerns at home by practicing proper dental hygiene.
Your Dental Tool Kit At Home
So, how exactly should we choose what to use for your perfect dental care? You can refer to this as a dental office toolkit that you can have at home since you continue the oral care that your dentist exerts for your dental health. If you haven’t seen a dentist for more than a year, we suggest you to schedule an appointment now.
We, as health educators, advocate teaching our valued patients about how to maintain proper health care. So, without further ado, it’s now time to give you the 5 most essential instruments to create your ideal dental tool kit.
Toothbrush
This is a no-brainer. You can choose different products to act as your toothpaste, mouth rinse, or other dental resources, but nothing can ever replace the right toothbrush. You cannot complete a dental tool kit without this. Brushing your teeth serves the primary aim of removing plaque from all tooth surfaces.
Brushing more successfully requires the use of a toothbrush with precisely engineered curves. Selecting soft-bristled brushes versus firm ones can allow users to brush their teeth and gums more easily, reducing the risk of gum disease.
Brushing for 2 minutes twice a day is suggested, despite the fact that most Westerners only brush for 30 to 60 seconds once every day. Small, circular-pattern motions, but also upwards, downwards, and back and forth, must be used when brushing.
Brush at a 45-degree angle along the gum line for the greatest results. Electric toothbrushes are OK to use if the speed is low enough to avoid damaging your teeth.
Toothpaste
Any toothpaste that contains sugar, artificial colors, or other superfluous components should be avoided (though a minty flavor or other breath freshener additive is fine). Because fluoride can help remineralize your tooth enamel and prevent cavities, you should use a toothpaste that contains it.
Baking soda additions are also beneficial due to the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory characteristics of baking soda. There are also a variety of special kinds of toothpaste for sensitive teeth and teeth whitening to consider but stay away from anything that contains bleaching agents, as these might hurt your teeth.
Dental Floss
Brushing only the front, rear, and cap of your teeth still leaves at least half of the total tooth surface unbrushed. If we allow food debris, grime, and germs allow to thrive in your adjacent teeth gaps, these eventually succeed in developing tooth decay, leading to infection and tooth loss.
After brushing, going to the dentist to floss seems ridiculous, so doing it on your own sounds more feasible. Dentists recommend flossing once a day, ideally twice a day, before bedtime. To get into tight spots and reduce the chance of the floss ripping, use waxed or teflon floss. Some stores also have flat floss brands, ideal for tightly-spaced or crooked teeth. If you want, you can find a dental clinic that offers orthodontic services to ask their recommendation on what floss you can ideally use.
If string floss is too tough for you, you can use interdental brushes, ideal for cleaning both teeth and dental equipment.
Tongue scraper
As much as you brush your teeth and gums, germs still can reside on your tongue. The dirtiest part of your mouth is your tongue, which is a bacteria factory. That is why you should wash your teeth after every meal. A tongue scraper is a specialized dental instrument that helps you remove minute food debris and bacteria caught on your tongue that a toothbrush typically misses.
Mouthwash
After brushing and flossing, you should apply an antibacterial mouthwash every time. Because you only require a little quantity every usage, even the most expensive mouth rinse should not be prohibitively expensive.
Mouthwashes do two things: they destroy germs in the mouth and they wipe away any food debris adhering to your teeth or gums. It’s vital to remember that mouthwash isn’t a good substitute for brushing and flossing because it doesn’t eliminate plaque.
After using your dental tool kit and performing all the personal oral care you need, consider mouth rinsing as your last breath-freshening step.
Many cavities and tooth diseases have no indications, so until you see a dentist monitor your dental health, a serious oral health issue might go unnoticed. While you’re in the dentist’s chair, inquire about how often you should get dental exams and teeth professional cleaning based on your specific needs, as well as further oral care product recommendations.
References:
The 7 Best Dental Health Products of 2020, According to Health Editors
https://www.health.com/condition/oral-health/beauty-awards-oral-care
8 Tools for a Better Smile
https://www.everydayhealth.com/hs/dental-health-guide/tools-for-better-smile/
The Dangers of Using a Plaque Scraper at Home
