Brush with a soft bristled brush or an electric toothbrush. Brush all the surfaces of each tooth, including the chewing surface, the back and the front. Replace your toothbrush every three months. If you use an electric toothbrush, you should also replace the head every three months. It also never hurts to brush your teeth in the middle of the day. Wait about 30 minutes after eating before brushing your teeth. After you eat, the acid produced by the food in your mouth causes your enamel to soften. Immediately after eating you can rinse your mouth with water, then after 30 minutes, you can brush. Children should brush their baby teeth both to prevent cavities and to learn good oral hygiene habits. [5] X Trustworthy Source National Health Service (UK) Public healthcare system of the UK Go to source
If you use a lower strength toothpaste for a young child, make sure it has at least 1,000 ppm of fluoride. If it is lower, it won’t have enough to prevent tooth decay. Use a pea-sized amount on the toothbrush. When you are finished brushing, spit it out. You can rinse your mouth with water, but only briefly. You don’t want to wash away all the fluoride!
Use about a foot-and-a-half of floss. Wind it around one finger of your dominant hand and one finger of your non-dominant hand. Then, with your dominant hand, insert the floss between your teeth and curve the floss around one of the teeth. Rub up and down, including going gently below the gum line. Then curve it around the other tooth and repeat. Use a mirror to help you see what you are doing. Floss at least once per day. If you find the floss difficult to handle, you can use an interdental cleaner which has a small handle with a brush, pick, or stick that helps you get between your teeth. [10] X Expert Source Joseph Whitehouse, MA, DDSBoard Certified Dentist Expert Interview. 9 April 2020. If you floss before brushing, this will help the fluoride in your toothpaste get between your teeth and provide antibacterial protection.
A good mouthwash should also have chlorhexidine in a small concentration, such as 0. 02%. Avoid products that contain alcohol To make a salt solution, dissolve salt into a cup of warm water. As you add salt, taste it to make sure it isn’t so salty that you won’t be able to stand it. [12] X Research source If it’s too salty, add more water. Swish the mouthwash or salt solution in your mouth for about two minutes. Move it around as much as possible so that it will coat all areas of your teeth. Then tip your head back and gargle. Spit the mixture out afterwards. Don’t swallow it. Gargling might not be appropriate for children who are too young to safely do so without choking.
Don’t press so hard it hurts or bleeds. You should be able to see a film of saliva and debris on the scraper by just moving it gently. Go from back to front. Some toothbrushes have tongue scrapers on the back of them. Look to see if yours has a rough little pad.
If you already smoke, you can greatly increase your overall health and the health of your teeth by quitting.
Not eating desserts like candy, chocolate, cakes, ice cream, pastries Not adding sugar to your tea or coffee Eating low sugar breakfast cereals Avoiding sugary sodas and soft drinks Drinking only one glass of fruit juice per day. Even unsweetened fruit juice is sugary.
Wine Tea Coffee
People who both drink and smoke are at a higher risk of mouth cancers.
Apples Celery Carrots Peppers Cucumbers Lettuce Broccoli
Granola bars Dried fruit like raisins Gummy candies or taffies
Orange juice Grape fruit juice Lemons Pickles Cola Wine Vinegar salad dressings
If your mouth is dry, you are probably not drinking enough water. The quantity of water you need will vary daily based on the weather, your activity level, and the proper functioning of your salivary glands. The first sign of dehydration is thirst. So if you are thirsty, help yourself to a tall glass of water.
It is important that the gum be sugar-free, otherwise you are coating your teeth in sugar and increasing the chances of tooth decay. Sugar-free gums are widely available at local grocery stores and drug stores.
Red, swollen, or painful gums Bleeding when you brush and floss Gums that are contracting away from your teeth Permanent teeth that are loose Sensitivity to the temperature of your food Bad breath or a strange taste in your mouth that doesn’t go away Pain Swelling in your jaw Headaches
Cavities An abscessed tooth An impacted tooth Gum disease
Thoroughly clean your teeth Removing any of the hard plaques that often develop in hard to clean places Check to make sure you are not developing any cavities Check the health of your gums Show you the proper technique for brushing and flossing
Fluoride varnish is a treatment where a strong fluoride is applied to the teeth to make the enamel stronger and less vulnerable to decay. This can be done every six months on both baby and permanent teeth. A fissure sealant is a plastic or resin-based composite coating that is applied to the crevices of the teeth to protect them from bacteria and food that might get stuck in them. This is applied to permanent teeth and can last up to 10 years.
Contacting dentistry and dental hygiene schools to see if they offer low cost treatment to help students get experience. This will be supervised by an experienced dentist or hygienist. You can search online at the websites of organizations like the American Dental Association or the American Dental Hygienists Association. Calling or searching the websites of your community health center, county or state health department, and the US Health Resources and Services Administration to find clinics in your area that charge based on income. Contacting health organizations like United Way. You can dial 211 in the US to reach your local United Way organization.
