5 Ways Your Doing Oral Care Wrong

You may have heard many different ways about how you should brush your teeth, and you may have wondered how it could be possible to get something as simple as brushing wrong. The reality is, there are certain steps that many people get wrong. Some of which may have created issues with their oral health. Shocking isn’t it? Well, the truth is, we'd all like to believe that we are doing things right when it comes to oral health, but the fact of the matter is we sometimes miss out on some very simple essentials. Which when avoided, can lead to serious dental problems. Here are a few things you can do to improve your oral health.

What is the right time to brush your teeth?

We all know that brushing teeth in the morning is a helpful habit to have. Once our morning brushing is done, we may sometimes feel that we are done for the day. Now here is a thinker! How many of us brush our teeth after meals? Not most of us, probably. Do you know that brushing your teeth after meals is way more important than that morning stroke of a brush? This is because what we eat gets stuck between the teeth and it is important to remove it before it starts to feed plaque colonies that break down the teeth. Thus, making brushing a habit before going to sleep ensures that you are taking the necessary steps to secure your oral health. Another point to note here is that ideally, it is best to also clean your mouth before eating.

Avoid Aerated Soft-drinks

Despite severe warnings, a lot of people still opt for harmful cola- are you aware that soda contains sugar contents that cause bacteria to grow over twice as fast as they normally would? While you are not even done finishing with your drink, the acid in your mouth has reached the enamel and the cavity process has started. Colas are themselves filled with acids that begin this enamel-weakening process. Thus, they must be avoided at all cost. There are numerous research studies on the subject that highlight the effects and they should not be ignored if you are serious about oral health.

The Importance of Flossing

Most of us think that teeth care is complete after brushing, but flossing the teeth must not be compromised. Adequate flossing removes plaque and food particles from the places where the typical brush cannot reach; this area between the teeth and under the gum line can only be reached with floss. When flossing it is best to take an eighteen inch of floss and wind it on both of the middle fingers to form a grip; now move it back and forth between the teeth to remove any food particles from here. Flossing does not need typically to be done more than twice. However, you should always make sure that you floss before going to bed.

Drinking Water is Essential

Now, this is something not commonly heard of and yet it is true to every word. Drink lots and lots of water. Especially when you have had tea, coffee or any beverage with sugar and caffeine. A sip or two of fresh water is always helpful in these situations. What water does is that it takes the sugar elements from these beverages down to a level where they are not as harmful to our teeth. Water also allows the mouth to remain hydrated. This allows easy saliva formation and reduces the risk of debris causing plaque. Not drinking enough water may lead to dryness of the mouth and will allow bacteria to start harmful activities inside the mouth. Halitosis or bad breath is also a very common result of dehydration.

Remember To Brush Tongue 

Research shows that over half of the bacteria in the mouth live on the tongue. Now that you have learned the importance flossing and brushing have on cleaning the teeth, you can begin to learn how much of a positive effect brushing on the tongue has. When one sleeps, the body’s digestive system is wide awake. During this process, bacteria are steadily growing on the tongue. These bacteria are easily seen by the naked eye once a layer is formed thick enough, and is the reason behind bad breath most of the time. Thus, a smooth scrubbing action with the help of a tongue cleaner is ideally what we should be doing every day.  A lot of gum problems and tooth decay could be prevented if we would just clean our tongue properly. Another lesser-known consequence here is that an unclean tongue can affect your taste buds; so if you want your food to taste delicious make sure to always brush the tongue!

How Cavities Form

Teeth help us break down food into smaller, digestible pieces so our body can absorb all the nutrients from it. Healthy and clean teeth can boost our confidence and make us look better. It is very important to take care of this important part of our body. Old habits die hard, so it is very beneficial in the long run to develop good habits from a very early age. In order to know everything about good dental hygiene, it is imperative to understand the structure of the teeth first. Our teeth are basically composed of four main layers or parts.

Enamel is the hard outermost layer covering the teeth. It protects dentine, which forms the bulk of the teeth and can be sensitive if the enamel is damaged. This layer gives our teeth the white color. If the enamel is damaged, our teeth become yellow due to the exposed dentin. It becomes very easy for bacteria to attack sensitive teeth which are not protected by enamel. They become very problematic and sudden temperature changes, sweets, acids or harsh chemicals can cause extreme pain. Regular and careful brushing, gargling and flossing are the only ways of warding off loss of enamel and possible infection.

When the infection penetrates the dentin it results in decay which is an extremely agonizing experience. The next layer is the pulp containing nerves and blood vessels for blood supply. It is because of this part due to which we feel pain and other sensations in our teeth. The last part is the cementum; a layer of bone-like tissue covering the root. Its primary function is to protect the root and secure the teeth in place.

Food and other organic particles get stuck between our teeth when we consume them. These particles can cause plaque, which is a layer of bacteria. It releases acids that cause cavities, bad breath, and even infection. In order to eliminate plaque before it starts to build, the teeth should be brushed twice a day. This helps to remove food particles and debris in the mouth. Along with that, dental floss must be used to remove particles stuck between the teeth. Hard brushing and gum infection can damage the cementum.

The type of food consumed also plays a major role in determining the fate of our teeth. For stronger teeth, calcium, phosphorus, and fluorine should be a part of the daily diet. Plaque is more likely to develop on residues left behind from eating foods rich in carbohydrates, starch, and sugar. Sticky foods are more difficult to get rid of so for the sake of dental health they should be avoided.

You should ideally brush at least twice but not more than three times a day and each session should last for at least two minutes. The brush should also be changed regularly. Most toothpastes contain fluoride which helps to prevent plaque and cavities. Make a habit of using mouth wash every day, it cleanses the whole mouth and prevents bad breath.

If the above measures are not followed properly it will almost certainly result in plaque, and ultimately a cavity. Cavities, in turn, can cause mild-to-sharp pain when eating cold, sweet or hot foods. If a cavity is in its initial stages it can be stopped or reversed by rubbing fluoride directly to the affected area. If the enamel is destroyed the only option is to either get a filling, root canal or permanent removal of the infected tooth.

When repairing a tooth the dentist will drill the decayed area out of the tooth and fill it with porcelain or silver amalgam material and sometimes cover it with a crown to prevent further infection. If a root canal is performed the dentist makes an incision near the top of the tooth and removes the decaying pulp from the chambers and canals inside the tooth. The dentist will then fill the tooth with a rubber-like material and sealing paste. It is always better to take preventative measures as prevention is always better than cure. In the end, a good dental hygiene regimen can save us from a lot of painful problems and boost our confidence.

A Basic Guide to Oral Hygiene

Oral hygiene is important to help prevent cavities and promote overall health. For these reasons alone, it is essential to have a good hygiene regimen. Today, I would like to share with you a basic guide to implementing your own oral hygiene routine.

A famous dentist once said, “every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.”. What he meant by this is that brushing is more than just some mundane activity. Brushing is about protecting the inner resources of the mouth from dangerous bacteria. Bacteria that can multiply and leave corrosive acid as a by-product.

The first step you will want to take in achieving supreme oral hygiene is to prepare. This usually involves a trip to the store, however, you may find that you already have many of these items. If you do not have them already, it is wise to obtain a toothbrush with soft bristles, quality toothpaste, waxed dental floss, and mouthwash. These are some of the most vital and basic tools that you should have in your oral hygiene toolkit.

After preparing, you can now start in flossing. This will gently remove plaque from in between teeth in areas that a toothbrush cannot reach. Make sure to get between every tooth and behind your far back ones. After you floss, the plague will dislodge and move away from the crevices between teeth. This then allows it to be easily removed after brushing and rinsing. Flossing is a step that a lot of people tend to skip. Simply keeping it in your routine can be a game-changer.

Now the next step to supreme oral health is to brush. Start at the back molars and move towards the front. It is very common for some people to start at the front and completely forget about the back molars. The average person has thirty-two teeth. If you do not know how many teeth you have, it is highly recommended that you count just so you will know. This will raise dental awareness and help to motivate you to brush each tooth every day. Also, as mentioned, every tooth you do have is worth its weight in gold.

Once you have brushed your teeth you should then move on to your tongue and gums. Ever wonder what the white stuff fuzzy stuff on your tongue is? This is a build-up of plaque that instead of being on teeth, is on the tongue. The tongue is a breeding ground for many plaque organisms to thrive on. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that you brush the tongue. After brushing the tongue, you should move on to your gums to remove any plaque there as well. Afterwards, you should even then massage your gums with the toothbrush. This helps to promote gum health by stimulating blood flow.

Finally, you should rinse. The purpose of rinsing is to remove all the debris left behind from flossing and brushing. It is recommended that you rinse two to three times to make sure you get everything out. Water will work just fine for rinsing, though if you opt for a mouthwash that can be even better as it can kill any remaining microorganisms. When deciding on toothpaste, choose high quality over low-cost generics. The same can be said with toothbrushes. Consider choosing a toothbrush one with soft bristles as hard bristles can sometimes scratch teeth on a microscopic level.

After you have finished with these steps; preparing, flossing, brushing and rinsing. You should now be able to feel your teeth as being smooth and very clean. Also, after brushing the tongue you may even be able to taste foods better! With so many sugars and refined carbs in today's food, it is near impossible to avoid plaque. The best way to combat plaque is to implement a thorough oral hygiene routine that will work efficiently at removing this plaque from the mouth.

"Liaboe_Electric_Toothbrush_Hands_On_Image (40)"by electricteeth is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Dental Extraction After Care

You've come home from the dentist after having dental extraction. Now that you're done you realize you're not quite sure how to take care of your tooth socket. Well, there are many things you can do that will aid you in quick healing after dental surgery. This delicate process of healing will always take time. However, the time is well spent as it used to help the gums fully recover.

The most important thing you should remember after a dental extraction is to protect the blood clot. Maintain gentle pressure on the socket by biting on a gauze sponge for about forty-five minutes and repeat as needed. If the socket is still bleeding you could try biting on a tea bag that had been wrapped in gauze. It is normal to have blood seep from a newly-formed socket twenty-four hours following a dental extraction.

Some key points in healing after dental surgery:
- keep your head higher than any other part of your body
- sleep with several pillows to keep your head up
- it is important that you do not get yourself over heated

Do not rinse during the first twenty-four hours following a dental extraction. After twenty-four hours you can then safely rinse with warm salt water up to five times daily. The use of commercial mouthwashes during the healing period is typically not recommended, ask your dentist about this. Discomfort following dental surgery is normal to experience. If medication has been given or prescribed, you should take it as instructed. If not, your choices are to take Tylenol, Motrin or Advil. Avoid Aspirin as it can cause bleeding.

Your toothbrush can be carefully used in any area of the mouth not involved by the surgical procedures. This means that you can also brush your tongue. Remember, a clean mouth heals faster. Having adequate food and fluid intake following surgery and/or general extractions is also very important. If you want to be extra safe, it is advised to be on a soft or liquid diet such as an instant breakfast drink for the first 24 hours after surgery.

Avoid all excessive activity. and don't pick at the surgical area. Avoid consuming liquids through a straw, alcoholic or carbonated beverages and refrain from smoking for as long as possible. Sutures, or stitches, will generally dissolve in ten days, if they bother you after these ten days, call your dentist.

To control swelling, gently apply ice packs to the area for periods of twenty minutes on, ten minutes off. This procedure should continue for the first twenty-four hours following extraction only. If there is still swelling after three days or you have pain you need to call the doctor as it may mean that you have an infection. However, an infection can be completely avoided if you remember to maintain a clean mouth following extraction. Also, if you have any allergic reactions such as generalized rash, itching, etc., you should communicate this to the dentist immediately.

Do not hesitate to call your dentist if any questions arise. It is not unusual to have bone splinters appear weeks later. Sometimes there is a blue mark from the numbing shot that surfaces on the outer skin near the extraction site, this usually goes away in two or three weeks.