Do you brush your teeth for most of your life, but are you sure you are doing it correctly? Four elements are the basis of good oral hygiene: brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, using floss once a day, keeping a healthy diet and consulting a dentist regularly, according to Matthew Messina, clinical associate teacher at Faculty of Dentistry, OHIO State University and spokesman of the American Association of Dentistry.
Oral health is important for several reasons – not only to have fresh breath and white teeth, but also to prevent gingival and periodontal diseases, which may be associated with health impacts in other parts of the body, according to Michaela Gibbs, teacher and Associated Director of Clinical Affairs and Professional Practice of the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine.
Small changes in current health can make a difference to your oral health, experts say. Here’s what to do.
The right order for clean teeth
When it comes to brushing, using floss and oral rinse, the goal is to control the bacteria in the teeth, explains Messina. “We need to shake and dispose of them, and also reduce the food they feed on,” he adds.
The bacteria in the teeth burn sugars and produce acid, which dissolves dental enamel. Eventually weakened enamel causes caries, but reducing the time bacteria has access to sugars in their teeth and using fluoride products can help prevent this degradation, Messina explains.
“When you think about the order of things, it makes some sense,” adds Gibbs.
You should start with floss to remove debris between teeth that can then be removed even more when you brush –– which reaches the rest of the surface. “There were not many scientific studies, but this is the pattern of practice accepted throughout the profession,” says Gibbs.
You need both brushing and floss to completely clean your teeth, according to Rocio B. Quinonez, associated director of curriculum at the Adams School of Dentistry at North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
The use of floss takes care of approximately 40% of dental surfaces, while brushing takes care of the other 60%, explains the expert.
Rinse the toothpaste?
If you are like many people, brush and then rinse with water to remove all toothpaste residues. But rinse can be better avoided, according to Gibbs.
“The main point is that you want to retain as much fluoride toothpaste as possible on your teeth after brushing,” says Gibbs. “After brushing your teeth with the fluoride paste, you should not rinse, because the whole benefit of fluoride is only perceived if it remains in the teeth for up to 30 minutes after brushing.”
Brushing and immediately rinsing a fluoride toothpaste can nullify the benefits, according to the expert.
“The longer the fluoride remains in the teeth, the greater the effect,” adds Messina. “It’s no coincidence that I recommend brushing last after breakfast and before bed, because it’s the times when we have the longest time before we eat something again that can disturb fluoride on my teeth.”
If you want to drink water or use a buccal rinsing without fluoride, Gibbs recommends not doing so immediately after brushing so that fluoride can penetrate the tooth surface. And although you should avoid those with alcohol, a fluoride mouthwash as the last part of your routine can also help strengthen your teeth, according to Quinonez.
As long as you keep a daily routine
More important than order, however, is that you are consistently brushing and using floss, according to Messina.
“It’s just any way you’ll do effectively every day,” he says. “If there is a piece missing … Then try in a way and maybe try otherwise and see which one you like best.”
An electric toothbrush is often recommended, although a manual may also work well, especially if the cost is a concern, according to Gibbs. And while oral irrigators may be useful, the use of floss remains the gold standard.
One tool perhaps unexpected in the struggle for better oral hygiene is drinking water, says Quinonez. Common water, ie non -flavored or carbonated.
Drinking water not only helps eliminate waste, but also restores normal pH balance in the mouth, which can be changed by food and drinks, adds Gibbs. A lower pH in the mouth, even coming from healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, means a more acidic environment that can make it more susceptible to tooth decay.
“If you brush your teeth twice a day, use floss once a day, keep a healthy diet and consult your dentist regularly – – you are among the 10% best (in dental care), no doubt, and this is totally totally Under your control, ”adds Messina.
Was this content originally published in you brush your teeth correctly? See right order, according to experts on the CNN Brazil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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