There are more ways to disinfect your toothbrush than you might think.
Toothbrush disinfection is something we often ignore or underestimate. But if you see a petri dish in which germs from your toothbrush have been placed, the next time you will be afraid to brush your teeth without sanitizing your toothbrush.
Toothbrush- this is one of those things that you use every day, and which requires disinfection. It needs to be disinfected, as it cleans all bacteria and germs from your teeth and oral tissues, and ordinary water is ineffective in eliminating them. Running water does not disinfect the bristles of a toothbrush. In fact, it is said that rinsing the toothbrush with water gives the same effect as not cleaning at all.
Methods for disinfecting a toothbrush
Antiseptic Mouthwash: Immerse your toothbrush in an antiseptic mouthwash for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the toothbrush from the rinse aid, rinse with normal or hot water and let dry. Do not place your toothbrush in the case until it has dried. Antiseptic mouthwashes help kill bacteria and germs and disinfect your toothbrush.
Microwave: Place your toothbrush in the microwave for about 15 seconds. It is established that the radiation emitted by a microwave oven destroys bacteria and germs on a toothbrush.
Dishwashing utensils: Tests have shown that disinfecting your toothbrush in the dishwasher provides the most effective germ-killing results compared to rinsing with hot water and high-pressure water.
Boiling: Another effective way to disinfect a toothbrush is the traditional boiling in a container of water. Boil the brush for about 15 minutes and then let it dry. The only downside to this method is that the bristles of your toothbrush will wear out faster than normal when using it. In addition, this method is not suitable for disinfecting an electric toothbrush.
Toothbrush sanitizer: There are many different toothbrush sanitizers available on the market. They come in the form of a toothbrush case, a toothbrush holder, and a small sterilization capsule that you can place and leave the toothbrush head in.
UV sterilizing lamp: You can also disinfect your toothbrush using an ultraviolet sterilizer. When using a UV sterilizer, you must turn the toothbrush over and place it in the sterilizer. The cover of this device is transparent, and the light emitted by it allows you to know whether it is working or not. Sterilization continues for about 10 minutes, after which the device switches off automatically.
Steam and dry heat: There are other electronic sanitizers that disinfect the toothbrush using steam and dry heat.
Hydrogen peroxide solution (H 2 0 2): It is possible to disinfect a toothbrush by storing it in a hydrogen peroxide solution and changing the solution daily, although this is not a very convenient method.
White Vinegar: Pour some white vinegar into a container and place your upside down toothbrush in it overnight. This procedure allows you to disinfect the toothbrush, however, this is not a 100% effective method.
Some tips for keeping your toothbrush clean
- Do not store all your toothbrushes in one toothbrush cup, as bacteria can easily transfer from one brush to another.
- Throw away the brush if the bristles begin to bend.
- Throw away the toothbrush of a person who has had any illness immediately to eliminate any possibility of bacteria from it transferring to other people's brushes.
- Change your toothbrush every 2-3 months.
It is very important to keep your toothbrush as clean as possible, as a bacteria-contaminated brush leads to more germs, which in turn contributes to the development of many diseases and problems, such as heart disease, bad breath, inflammation, and cavities. So disinfect your toothbrush and be proud of your beautiful smile!
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1. Choose a toothpaste with a good fluoride content
Fluorine is a gas. To enter it into toothpaste, it is combined with other elements to form fluoride solids. They are able to destroy the bacteria that cause tooth decay, as well as strengthen tooth enamel.
For adults, dentists recommend Fluoride choose a paste that contains 1,350–1,500 ppm fluoride. The value must be indicated on the tube or packaging.
Children - from 1,000 ppm. True, here it is necessary to ensure that the amount of toothpaste on the brush does not exceed the size of a pea.
Dentists consider the use of toothpastes with fluoride to be one of the most effective ways to prevent caries.
Start cleaning with the left or right triples or quadruples of the upper jaw.
Place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle to the tooth surface.
Brush your teeth with short back and forth movements in the horizontal and vertical direction. Make sure that each tooth gets at least 10 movements. Walk in this way along the outer surface of all the teeth on the upper and lower jaws.
Brush the chewing surfaces of the teeth in the lower and upper jaws with a reciprocating motion.
Brush the inside surfaces of your teeth. To do this, position the brush as vertically as possible and move it up and down.
Complete the procedure. With a bristle or a special relief pad on the back of the brush, sweep away the plaque, starting from the base of the tongue and moving towards its tip.
For a visual guide on how to properly brush your teeth, see here:
5. Don't neglect flossing
The bacteria that cause cavities often hide from the brush in the narrow space between the teeth. To get them out of there, and at the same time get rid of pieces of food stuck between your teeth, use dental floss once a day. Brushing Your Teeth.
6. Do not use mouthwash immediately after brushing
It can wash away the fluoride. If you feel the need, rinse your mouth at another time: after eating or at least 20-30 minutes after you have treated your teeth with paste.
What brushing mistakes can cause cavities?
Here are some common miscalculations 8 Bad Brushing Habits to Break in 2019, which make cleaning at best ineffective, and at worst - useless and even harmful.
1. You use the same toothbrush for more than 3-4 months
Worn and broken bristles cannot effectively remove plaque from teeth. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends replacing your toothbrush with a new one every quarter.
2. You apply too much pressure to the brush when brushing.
You may think that a harder brush will remove more bacteria and food debris. But it's not. In order to qualitatively "" the surface of the tooth, neat and even gentle movements are enough. But excessive assertiveness can damage the gums, and even tooth enamel.
For the same reason, you should not use a brush with too hard bristles.
3. You brush your teeth right after eating.
Dentists recommend waiting at least 60 minutes. This is especially important if you have been eating something sour (like lemons, grapefruits) or drinking soda. These foods soften tooth enamel and brushing can be harmful.
If you're desperate to freshen up your mouth right after eating, swish it with water or chew gum.
4. You store your brush incorrectly
You should not keep it in a closed container: microbes actively multiply in such places, which you then carry right into your mouth right on the bristles. The best way to store your brush is in an upright position outdoors.
5. You don't brush your teeth properly
It is important to thoroughly and thoughtfully clean all dental surfaces, not just those that are easiest to reach. Remember why you brush your teeth. This procedure is not for show, its purpose is to keep the teeth healthy and protect them from caries. So brush thoughtfully.
In order for a smile to be perfect, it is necessary to adhere to certain rules when cleaning. After each meal, particles of food remain in the oral cavity. If they are not removed in a timely manner, they decompose and rot. An ideal soil is created for the reproduction of pathogenic infections. The most “harmless” result of this process is bad breath.
In this article:
Why brush your teeth?
It is necessary to teach how to care for the oral cavity from early childhood. Of course, children 8–9 months old (the time of eruption of the first tooth) are not able to do this on their own. This is where parents need to be concerned.
Plaque on the surface of the enamel is an accumulation of a large number of tiny food debris. With untimely care for the oral cavity, plaque increases. When combined with saliva, it mineralizes and becomes a stone that cannot be removed with a brush alone. Important: the stone causes caries, periodontitis and other diseases. Caries is a trigger mechanism that causes, in fact, a chain reaction.
Caries and periodontitis
The structure of enamel is naturally porous and rough. Plaque on the surface fills the pores, causing inflammation. This is caries. If you do not take any measures and do not carry out prevention, the disease spreads in depth. With time inflammatory process goes to the gums, root.
The periodontium is the tissue that surrounds the root of the tooth. It fixes it in the bone structure of the jaw. Inflammation in this area leads to the formation of a cyst.
Destruction of the supporting apparatus of the tooth. At the same time, the gum is gradually retracted, a pocket appears. This is where food waste accumulates. It is impossible to remove them yourself. Against this background, the gums swell, begin to bleed, become sensitive during chewing. Purulent formations may appear in the pocket. Untimely treatment leads to loosening, displacement, loss of teeth.
Important! Periodontitis is the second most common after caries. According to WHO, this pathology is diagnosed in 75% of children and 93% of adults.
According to statistics, out of 10 patients, periodontal disease is observed in 6 people. The disease is characterized by impaired blood supply to tissues. This leads to their dystrophy, exposure of the neck of the tooth. The gums gradually rise above each other. At the same time, they do not turn red, do not swell, do not bleed, but simply slowly collapse.
Usually the disease affects both jaws at once.
Loss of teeth
It must be prevented from early childhood. Parents do not always think about the consequences of premature tooth loss in a child. The thinking of some fathers and mothers is the following - why treat caries of children's teeth, because they are milk teeth and will soon fall out. This is a big misconception. Affecting milk teeth, caries leads to their premature loss.
Nature intended that a permanent tooth should replace the milk one, pushing it out. This order is a normal process. With premature loss, physiology is disturbed, which leads to improper eruption, twisting of the teeth and a change in bite. Such transformations entail many problems - impaired diction, deformation of facial features, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In adults, when teeth fall out, the same problems occur.
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
Incorrect bite, the lack of the proper number of teeth affect the process of grinding food. Insufficiently chewed food enters the stomach, which finds it difficult to digest such food. As a result, abundant gastric juice containing hydrochloric acid. A large amount of it acts irritatingly on the walls of the stomach. Over time, they become inflamed, and gastritis develops. With untimely treatment, the scheme for the development of diseases is probably known to everyone: gastritis - ulcer - oncology. And it is not a fact that the inflammatory process will not reach the duodenum, intestines.
Chronic pathologies
It would seem, what is a raid? Small accumulation on the surface of the enamel, which can be removed with a brush. But in this area lives a lot of pathogenic bacteria. If the oral cavity is not cleaned, bacteria can migrate through the bloodstream (especially if the integrity of the gum tissue is compromised), move to the tonsils, to the sinus region. So the infection can get to any organ.
Think about the numbers! Out of 10 children with early caries, 9 suffer from chronic diseases of the respiratory and ENT organs! According to statistics, caries in childhood causes the development chronic form sinusitis, tonsillitis.
A migrating infection can cause meningitis, provoke encephalitis. Diseases are difficult to treat, their consequences are terrible - dementia, disability.
In medical practice, cases of death from sepsis are known. The reason is a bacterial infection that first caused tooth decay, and then entered the bloodstream and provoked sepsis. So neglected disease and its untimely treatment leads to death.
Psychological problems
In childhood, malocclusion is the result of crowding of teeth, changes in facial features, and impaired diction. Often children feel awkward, begin to complex. In the future, insecure, already adults, cannot arrange their personal lives. In most cases, the lack of a smile is affected due to embarrassment, unwillingness to talk once again.
Psychologists say that in 15% of cases, alcoholism, drug addiction and teenage suicide are associated with complexes about appearance. 10% of them refer specifically to impaired diction and a deformed face due to malocclusion.a
So, caries provoked by plaque can cause a lot of negative consequences. This can be avoided if you follow the hygiene of the oral cavity, paying due attention to your health.
How often should you brush your teeth?
Dentists recommend taking care of the oral cavity 2 times a day (morning and evening). But the hygienic procedure does not end there. To prevent the development of caries, it is necessary to rinse your mouth after each meal. It doesn’t matter if a person ate an apple, cracked seeds, or had a full meal.
Intensive rinsing removes pathogenic bacteria and stuck pieces of food. It is desirable, of course, to use special foams or rinses. You can make a solution of salt and soda (1 tsp per 0.5 l of water). But if this is not possible, then at least use a thread and rinse your mouth with water.
How to choose a toothbrush
Not only the correct brushing technique is important, but also the brush. When choosing a product, you need to navigate in their diversity:
- Very soft brushes designed for children. This type is chosen for children over 5 years old, as well as for people who have been diagnosed with periodontitis. A child under 2 years of age is recommended to brush their teeth with special silicone fingertips.
- The average stiffness of the villi. Recommended for teenagers over 12 years old.
- Hard brushes. It can be used only after consulting a doctor. Excessive hardness causes damage to the enamel. Recommended for coffee lovers, smokers, people with increased stone formation. But such brushes can only be used by those who have strong enamel and a healthy oral cavity.
- Very hard brush. We are talking about brushes used in cases where bridges and braces are installed.
- Electric brushes. According to dentists, they are best at removing soft deposits. In addition, you do not need to make additional movements during cleaning. It is enough to slowly move the device over the surface of the teeth, the electric brush will do the rest. But if the gum tissue is weak, then such a procedure can cause injury.
- ultrasonic brushes. Does not damage gums. Approved for use in diseases of the oral cavity, installed braces or implants. Ultrasound cleans open surfaces, removes bacteria at a depth of 5 mm under the gums.
- Working head size. Preference should be given to products with small working heads. Thus, soft tissue injury can be prevented.
Pay attention to the marking of the level of rigidity. Responsible manufacturers always indicate it on the packaging:
- sensitive - very soft brushes;
- soft - soft;
- medium - brushes with medium hardness;
- hard - very hard;
- extra-hard - special brushes that eliminate a large number of plaque and are addressed to people with installed restoration structures.
An important rule: you need to change the brush every 3 months.
Choice of toothpaste
Almost all pastes are therapeutic and prophylactic. They serve for mechanical cleaning and contribute to the prevention of caries, periodontitis, periodontal disease. To do this, the composition includes various components that should be considered when choosing a care product:
- Fluorides and calcium. Included in the composition for the prevention of caries and restoration of the enamel structure.
- medicinal plants, essential oils, antiseptic substances (chlorhexidine, triclosan). Eliminate bleeding, swelling of the gums, remove plaque.
- Potassium, strontium, aminofluoride, hydroxyapatite. Reduce the sensitivity of tissues, relieve pain.
- Enzymes (papain) and antimicrobial substances (lysozyme, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase). They are added to whitening pastes to increase the effectiveness of plaque removal.
- Vitamin complex (A, E, C, B, carotenoline). Improves metabolic processes, accelerates the healing of the mucous membrane.
You need to choose a paste depending on the existing dental problems. Do not get carried away with fluoride-containing pastes. With an excess of fluoride, fluorosis can develop. Therefore, fluoride-containing pastes are used no more than 1 time per day.
Step-by-step instruction
Cleaning takes 3 minutes! Pay special attention to hard-to-reach areas: gum lines, interdental spaces.
- Wet the brush with warm water.
- Apply the paste in a thin strip to the brush.
- Start cleansing from the upper jaw. First, treat the far molars and chewing teeth behind the cheeks.
- The direction of movement is from left to right. If you're left-handed, it's best to start on the right.
- The main rule of the technique is to place the brush parallel to the gums.
- Do not press hard on the brush.
- Movements - circular, clean each area for 10 seconds. During this time, make 10 strokes with the brush.
- Then start cleaning from the gums to the lower edges.
- Next, treat the inner surfaces in the same way.
- Cleanse the tongue and inner surfaces of the cheeks.
- Rinse your mouth with 3 water changes.
Do not forget to wash the brush after each procedure and treat with an antiseptic.
Toothpicks and chewing gums
Dentists do not recommend using toothpicks at all. The wood from which they are made exfoliates when cleaned. Separated particles of it can remain between the teeth, eventually begin to rot and cause inflammation. And also while using a toothpick, you can injure the gums without even noticing it. Alternatively, use thread.
It is a mistake to think that chewing gum will help get rid of plaque and stuck pieces of food. Yes, no doubt some of the leftover food will stick to the gum. But in the process of chewing, during the pressure of the gums against each other, these same particles can get stuck in the interdental space.
In addition, newly placed fillings that have not withstood prolonged exposure “like” to stick to the chewing gum.
Chewing gum does not strengthen the gums, this happens in the process of even chewing, and not when squeezing the jaws in one place. Gum chewing is usually one-sided and can lead to atrophy of the muscles on the opposite side, because it will not receive the load it needs.
Another disadvantage is that constant chewing will lead to an overload of the periodontium. Against this background, periodontitis and gingivitis can develop.
To remove food debris after eating, it is better to rinse your mouth with water 2-3 times or use rinse aid, foam.
Should you brush your teeth after every meal?
You can brush your teeth after every meal. Stick to some rules. During the morning toilet and at night, doctors recommend using fluoride-containing pastes. But since it is often impossible to use them, every time after a meal it is necessary to carry out cleansing with products that do not contain abrasive particles, bleaching components. It is better to opt for a paste with extracts medicinal herbs. In this case Negative influence will not appear on enamel.
When is the best time to brush your teeth - before breakfast or after?
Bacteria multiply in the mouth at night. In addition, after 8 hours of sleep, soft plaque forms on the tooth surface. If you do not brush your teeth before breakfast, you will swallow the germs of a harmful oral infection along with food. As a result, you can get irritation of the stomach and inflammation of its walls.
The golden mean - brush in the morning before breakfast, and after eating - rinse your mouth with water, salt solution or rinse.
How to properly brush your teeth with braces
With braces installed, teeth should be brushed 3 times a day. Regardless of whether you have removable braces or not, cleansing should first of all be carried out in the standard way with a brush and paste.
A prerequisite for braces and veneers is the use of an irrigator. This device qualitatively cleans the enamel, gum pockets and the space between the teeth from fresh and old plaque with a thin jet of liquid under high pressure.
How to properly brush your teeth with restorations
The following rules should be followed:
- With bridges in place, pay attention to the space between the gum and the bridge.
- With implanted teeth, do not use hard brushes, especially if they have been recently installed (this may cause rejection).
- Use an irrigator.
People with dentures without fail you need to undergo preventive examinations and perform professional teeth cleaning.
How to brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush?
The electric brush can make up to 25 thousand rotations per minute. Therefore, the cleaning procedure takes less time.
There are more powerful brushes, for example, from Oral-B. They make up to 45 thousand rotations per minute.
The scheme of use, in principle, is standard. You do not need to strain and make any movements. She works by herself. Keep the brush parallel to the teeth, do not press and move along the surface.
The procedure time is 1.5-2 minutes.
Rinse the brush after each procedure. Do not store children's and adult dentifrices in the same place - the infection will easily move to neighboring hygiene products.
Interesting! Ancient people ate food given by nature itself, while receiving a large amount of vitamins and a massage effect for the gums. They lived to old age, keeping all their teeth in excellent condition. Ancestors ate rough, solid food, fruits, without using a knife. According to anthropologists, the ancient man did not know caries. The absence of teeth could only be a consequence of survival and struggle with the beast.
Scientists from the University of Manchester (England) once calculated that an ordinary toothbrush can contain over 100 million bacteria including bacteria such as E.coli(it causes diarrhea) and staphylococcus aureus(causes skin infection). But, this is not a disaster yet, because hundreds of microorganisms constantly live in our oral cavity, and the body's natural defenses protect us from them every second without harm to health.
And yet, health problems begin when the balance of bacteria in the oral cavity is disturbed. Therefore, ignoring the rules for using and caring for a toothbrush (which is simply teeming with germs under a microscope) is very unwise just because you have a strong immune system.
Take a look at this photo of a toothbrush bristle under a microscope, maybe you will want to be more meticulous about caring for your toothbrush?
Tooth bristles and microbes under a microscope
- It is necessary to brush your teeth as far as possible from the toilet;
- Do not spray aerosols, air fresheners, etc. in the bathroom.
- Wash your hands before and after brushing your teeth;
- Never use someone else's toothbrush;
- Choose according to your dental condition;
- Change your toothbrush every 2-3 months;
- If the bristles begin to bend, the brush is no longer usable;
- Rinse your toothbrush with a stream of tap water before and after use;
- Do not put your toothbrush in its case or box until it is dry;
- Store the toothbrush only in an upright position (in the box holder, glass);
- Do not keep different toothbrushes in the same glass;
Toothbrush loves gentle care Toothbrush disinfection
Periodically, a “thorough cleaning” of the toothbrush is required. Constant rinsing of the toothbrush with water in terms of disinfection does not give any effect. Need a toothbrush disinfect (disinfect and destroy pathogenic microbes) by special means. You don’t need to run to the pharmacy and you don’t need to study special instructions, methods and improvised means on how to do this at home - there are a lot.
5 improvised means to disinfect a toothbrush
Boiling. traditional and effective method disinfection of a toothbrush, it is enough to boil the brush for about 15 minutes. The disadvantage of this method is the rapid destruction of the bristles of the toothbrush.
Vinegar. Ordinary white vinegar is suitable for disinfecting a toothbrush, pour it into a glass, immerse the tooth bristles there for half an hour (you can leave it overnight, the strength of the toothbrush will not suffer from this, but millions of bacteria and microbes will simply evaporate).
Hydrogen peroxide. It is in every first aid kit and perfectly disinfects a toothbrush. To do this, you need to make a solution (1/2 hydrogen peroxide and 1/2 water) and rinse your hygiene product in it periodically.
Microwave. There is one in every kitchen. It is enough to place a toothbrush under the microwave oven for only 15 seconds to destroy the harmful horde of bacteria and germs.
Mouthwashes. help not only to destroy bacteria and germs in the mouth, but can also be used to disinfect your toothbrush. To do this, dip your toothbrush in an antiseptic rinse for 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water and dry.
These simple rules for using and caring for your toothbrush will not only help your body effectively fight off the army of germs and microorganisms, but will also make the process of brushing your teeth an effective and enjoyable experience.
It would seem that daily brushing of teeth is a simple matter, is it worth devoting an entire article to it? Dentists claim that most of us brush our teeth incorrectly, and this leads to a number of oral problems. Improper oral hygiene can cause diseases of the teeth and gums, lead to bad breath, darkening of tooth enamel.
Why brush your teeth?
The oral cavity is one of the most contacted environment places in the body. Billions of bacteria live in the mouth. Teeth were given to us for the mechanical processing of food, i.e. chewing food, the remains of which can get stuck between the teeth. This creates a breeding ground for microorganisms. If a person has not brushed their teeth for a long time, bacteria multiply very quickly, and soft plaque forms.
This plaque is very detrimental to the teeth, because. releases acid that destroys tooth enamel. If you do not clean it off, then soon the tooth will be susceptible to carious damage. In addition, plaque contributes to the fact that the natural barrier to infections in the mouth is broken. It can also cause halitosis - bad breath, the formation of tartar.
If you regularly clean your teeth from soft plaque, then we will not give microorganisms a single chance to cause caries and other problems.
How often should you brush your teeth?
It is necessary to brush your teeth with a brush at least 2 times a day - in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before bedtime. Dentists recommend a three-minute brushing time (i.e. at least 3 minutes).
In addition to cleaning the outer and inner surfaces of the tooth, daily special attention should be paid to the interdental spaces. because food remains are stuck in them, on which plaque grows very quickly - microorganisms. Interdental spaces are cleaned with special dental floss (floss), without damaging the gums. The floss is gently wound between the teeth, bypasses the gums, cleans plaque and food debris from the teeth in the interdental spaces.
Every day you need to finish brushing your teeth with a special rinse, preferably herbal (you can make the infusion yourself). It is important that the daily mouthwash does not contain alcohol or chlorhexidine. The contact time of the rinse aid with the oral cavity is 30 seconds.
You should also brush your teeth after every meal. For this, chewing gums are suitable for people with healthy teeth, which can be used to clean the oral cavity only after eating for no more than 5-7 minutes. In some cases, chewing gum can be harmful for patients with problematic teeth, so you can use mouth rinses after eating. Ask your dentist how to properly brush your teeth after each meal in your case.
How to choose a toothbrush
The advice of your dentist will be of great help in choosing a toothbrush. A soft brush may not clean your teeth as effectively, while hard bristles can damage your enamel and gums. Most often use a brush of medium hardness. Many are interested in what is better - an electric brush or an ordinary one. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth electric brush no more than 2-3 times a week, because otherwise, the enamel may be damaged.
Good reviews about ultrasonic brushes. They allow you to remove plaque in hard-to-reach places due to ultrasonic vibrations that tear off plaque from the surface. It is recommended for sensitive teeth, the presence of braces, periodontal diseases, and other situations where mechanical cleaning is difficult. However, the peculiarities of such brushes are a rather high cost, as well as the presence of contraindications - for oncological patients, people with cardiovascular, mental illness, pacemaker and children under 9 years old.
Choice of toothpaste
It is also necessary to use the paste taking into account the state of the oral cavity of each person. One has sensitive teeth - you need a special paste to reduce sensitivity. Another microflora in the mouth is such that plaque builds up very quickly - an antibacterial one is needed. In the third case, there may be bleeding gums - a paste is needed for healthy gums. Very often, all this can be combined, then you need a combined action paste.
When choosing a pasta manufacturer, you also need to focus on your feelings. After all, it is very important that brushing your teeth is comfortable, and if the taste of the paste causes nausea, it is unlikely that a person will benefit from it. It happens that apparently due to individual features microflora of the oral cavity after brushing the teeth with certain pastes, after a while a film forms on the oral mucosa, which creates discomfort. In this case, it is better to replace the paste.
Many people want to make their teeth lighter and for this they constantly use whitening toothpastes. Here you need to know that modern whitening pastes most often contain enzymes that make it easier to remove plaque. Although these pastes do not harm the enamel, they can only be used daily for 1-2 months. Highly abrasive whitening toothpastes (used mainly for smokers) are more effective, but also dangerous for enamel. They can only be used 1-2 times a week.
How much toothpaste do you need?
A lot of people thoughtlessly squeeze toothpaste along the length of their toothbrush because they were taught that by advertising: back in the 40s, a guy in an advertising poster was gently squeezing toothpaste along the length of the brush. The point is that the task of marketers is to teach us to buy more than necessary and thus sell us as many goods as possible.
The main task of toothpaste is to provide mechanical cleaning of the surface of the teeth with a brush. The paste is designed to soften the stiffness of the brush, reduce its trauma and soften plaque. Too much toothpaste reduces the effectiveness of the toothbrush.
So how much toothpaste should be squeezed onto the brush for effective brushing? Every dentist will tell you that the toothpaste on the brush should be "the size of a pea."
How to brush your teeth properly
It must be said that microbes must be removed not only from the teeth, but also from the tongue and cheeks. Thus, we will protect the oral cavity even better. And yet, oral hygiene begins with brushing your teeth.
It is very important not only with what we brush our teeth, but also how. How well we remove plaque from the teeth depends on what movements we make with the toothbrush.
Movements with a toothbrush should be vertical, as if sweeping bacteria from the gum to the cutting edge of the tooth (dentists say so - “sweeping” movements). Why not horizontal or circular? Horizontal and circular movements contribute to the fact that plaque accumulates even more in the interdental recesses. In addition, as a result of horizontal movements, we can get a so-called wedge-shaped defect.
It not only makes the smile less attractive, but also greatly increases the sensitivity of the teeth, in the later stages leads to periodontal disease and tooth loss.
So let's start brushing our teeth.
1. Picking up a brush and washing it well with water, apply pea-sized pasta. You can apply more paste, but then it will create a lot of foam, which will interfere with cleaning.
2. Upper teeth: bring the brush to the upper edge at an angle in 45 deg.
3. We start to produce vertical movements(in this case top down). Near each tooth 3-4 movements. We start with the back teeth and move to the front.
4. We do the same from the inside of the upper teeth: brush at an angle of 45 degrees, sweeping movements. As soon as we reached the front teeth, starting from the fangs, we change the positions of the brush and perform the same movements, only in the position of the brush, as shown in the figure:
5. We clean the chewing surfaces of the teeth with horizontal movements, movements back and forth are allowed, but it is better to “sweep” the plaque from the back teeth to the front again.
7. When cleaning the inside of the teeth, starting from the canines, we again change the position of the brush.
8. At the end, we clean the tongue, because. it accumulates a lot of microorganisms. Movement from the root of the tongue to the tip.
10. We tear off the dental floss (floss) and clean the interdental spaces, starting from the back teeth to the front. It is impossible to clean different interdental spaces with the same piece of floss, because. in this way we will transfer bacteria from the previous site to the next one. It is convenient to tear off about 30 cm of thread, place between 2 index fingers leaving a few centimeters for cleaning. As you clean, wind the used thread around one of your fingers. Be careful not to injure your gums.
11. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash for 30 seconds.
After brushing your teeth, make sure that the toothbrush does not “pick up” extra germs until the next use. To do this, it is recommended to soap it and leave it in this state until the next time. Be sure to rinse it well before use. Brush your teeth only with your own toothbrush, and remember to replace it with a new one at least every 2-3 months.