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Dental Hygiene

 Dental Hygiene

What Makes Oral Hygiene Essential?

Preserving good oral hygiene is imperative for your overall health and personal welfare. Surprisingly, adults over 35 are more likely to lose teeth to gum diseases than cavities. It’s alarming to think that these issues will eventually affect three out of four adults. However, there is a simple solution: implementing proper tooth brushing and flossing techniques daily.

Bacterial plaque, a colorless film that adheres to the teeth at the gumline, causes periodontal disease and decay. This plaque continually forms on teeth, making it essential to brush and floss to remove germs and stave off periodontal disease.

By adhering to a consistent regimen of thorough brushing and flossing, individuals can effectively combat these frequent dental issues and achieve peak dental wellness.

Tips for Effective Tooth Brushing

If you experience discomfort during brushing or have any inquiries about proper brushing techniques, please don’t hesitate to contact our office at 250-585-2185.

Dr. Feizi advises using a soft to medium toothbrush. Angle the brush at 45 degrees where the gums and teeth meet. Gently brush the external surfaces of your teeth in a smooth, circular pattern using short, light strokes. Apply light pressure when maneuvering the bristles between the teeth, ensuring you do not experience discomfort.

Once you’ve finished cleaning the outer surfaces of all your teeth, repeat the same steps for the inner surfaces of the back teeth.

While brushing the inner sides of the front teeth, both upper and lower, keep the brush upright and apply gentle horizontal strokes across each tooth. Ensure to brush the surrounding gum tissue delicately.

Following this, proceed to clean the biting surfaces of your teeth using short, gentle strokes. Adjust the brush’s position as needed to reach and clean all surfaces. For better visibility, consider using a mirror to ensure thorough cleaning. Rinse thoroughly after brushing to remove any loosened plaque.

Steps for Proper Flossing

Periodontal disease commonly develops between the teeth, where regular tooth brushing may not effectively reach. Integrating flossing into your regular dental hygiene practice is a potent approach for dislodging plaque from regions that are often challenging to cleanse. However, it is crucial to familiarize yourself with the correct technique. The guidelines below are designed to assist you in this process. Please keep in mind that proficiency in flossing takes time and consistent practice.

Begin with a length of floss, approximately 18 inches long, preferably waxed for ease of use. Carefully wind most of the floss encircling the middle finger of one hand while the remaining length is looped around the middle finger of your opposite hand.

To clean the upper teeth:

  • Grasp the floss firmly between the thumb and forefinger of each hand.
  • Carefully insert the floss into the tight spaces between the teeth, utilizing a gentle back-and-forth motion.
  • Avoid exerting excessive force or attempting to snap the floss into place.
  • Once at the gum line, create a C-shape around one tooth and slide the floss into the space between the gum and the tooth until it encounters slight resistance.
  • Proceed to move the floss up and down along the side of the tooth, remembering that two tooth surfaces require cleaning in each space.
  • Complete the flossing process for both sides of all the upper teeth, being cautious not to injure the gum tissue.

As the floss becomes soiled, the transition from one finger to the other to access a fresh section.

Use both hand’s forefingers to guide the floss to clean between the lower teeth. Remember to address the back side of the final tooth on both the upper and lower sides.

Upon completion, rinse vigorously with water to eliminate any remaining plaque and food particles. It is usual for your gums to show signs of light bleeding or tenderness during the initial week of flossing. If you experience discomfort while flossing, you may apply excessive pressure or pinch the gum tissue. Regularly flossing and removing plaque will gradually heal your gums, and any bleeding should cease.

Caring for Tooth Sensitivity

It is common for teeth to exhibit sensitivity to hot and cold after dental treatment. This sensitivity typically subsides quickly as long as the mouth is kept clean. Failure to maintain cleanliness may prolong the sensitivity and even lead to increased severity. If you experience particularly heightened tooth sensitivity, you should seek guidance from your dentist. They suggest a specialized toothpaste or mouth rinse explicitly formulated for sensitive teeth to alleviate the discomfort.

Selecting Oral Hygiene Products

Making informed choices is essential when selecting dental care products from the vast market.
Here are some recommendations to guide most patients in their selection:

For most people, automated and advanced electronic toothbrushes are safe and efficacious. Oral irrigators are water-spraying devices that provide thorough mouth rinsing but do not remove plaque. It’s essential to complement oral irrigators with regular brushing and flossing. Electric toothbrushes such as Rotadent and Interplak have demonstrated excellent results.

Certain toothbrushes feature a rubber tip on the handle, designed to massage the gums after brushing. Additionally, there are small interproximal toothbrushes specifically crafted for cleaning between teeth. Discussing the correct usage of these products with your dentist is crucial to avoid potential gum injuries due to improper use.

Fluoride toothpaste and mouth rinses, when combined with regular brushing and flossing, can decrease the incidence of tooth decay by up to 40%. However, it’s important to note that these rinses are unsuitable for children under six. While tartar control toothpastes effectively diminish tartar accumulation above the gum line, their effectiveness in addressing the early stages of gum disease, which typically begins below the gumline.

Consider anti-plaque rinses, which the American Dental Association endorses to address early gum disease. These rinses contain agents that may help bring early gum disease under control. For optimal results, use these rinses alongside regular brushing and flossing.

Professional Dental Cleaning

Frequent brushing and flossing are vital to maintaining oral hygiene, but dental calculus can accumulate in hard-to-reach areas even with a diligent routine. A professional cleaning at our office is a crucial aspect of your preventive care regimen to combat gum disease and ensure the longevity of your teeth. Make sure to prioritize your oral health and visit us for a thorough cleaning.

Contact

102 – 5160 Dublin Way,
Nanaimo, BC V9T 0H2

102 – 5160 Dublin Way,
Nanaimo, BC V9T 0H2

The first step towards a beautiful, healthy smile is scheduling an appointment. Please contact our office by phone or complete this appointment request form:

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