Blog Post

UPGRADE YOUR AT-HOME DENTAL CARE

  • By Admin
  • 05 Oct, 2018
Preventative dental care is arguably the most important care you can receive from your dentist because prevention will help you maintain optimal care for your lifetime. Preventative care includes services like fluoride treatment, x-rays, sealants, and dental prophylaxis.
While in-office visits every six months are important, preventative dentistry doesn't stop there. Your at-home efforts make a big difference. Here are three ways to improve your at-home dental care.
Woman Holding Toothbrush

1. Improving Your Tooth Brushing

When people brush their teeth, people probably don't give too much thought to their brushing pattern. Believe it or not, numerous brushing techniques have been developed by dentists.

Depending on your current issues, you may want to favor one technique. For instance, Stillman's brushing technique is great for patients with gingivitis because it can remove plaque above the gumline.

If you don't have any specific health issue, you may want to try the Bass method, named after Dr. C. Bass. The Bass method has been proven to remove the most plaque on children's teeth. This method also offers the following benefits:

  • Prevents gum recession and tooth root exposure
  • Covers grooves on both occlusal surfaces (biting surfaces) and lingual surfaces (portions of the enamel nearest to the tongue) 
  • Removes bacteria on the gingival margin, thus reducing gum inflammation 

The Bass method is easy to learn. Simply follow these steps:

  1. Softly brush the front of your teeth with the bristles at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Spend at least ten seconds on two or three teeth at a time.
  3. Move to occlusal surfaces and use back-and-forth or circular motions.
  4. Hold the toothbrush vertically and pull the brush backward and forward to get lingual surfaces.

To see how well you are brushing, you may want to buy over-the-counter disclosing agents. These tablets contain a vegetable dye that will stain plaque. After you brush your teeth, chew the disclosing agent and rinse your mouth. Wherever you see a dyed area, you'll know that you need to brush there better.

Besides brushing technique, make sure you brush softly, as hard pressure can damage your gum tissue. To aid softer brushing, buy a soft-bristled brush.

2. Improving Your Flossing

An ADA survey found that only four out of ten people floss every day, and about 20 percent said they never floss at all. Flossing is just as important as brushing. Plaque can thrive in hard-to-reach spaces without flossing. Flossing can help reduce your risk of gingivitis and gum disease.

Some people floss quickly and snap the thread down onto the gums. This can damage your gum tissue and cause gums to recede. Instead, saw the floss back and forth until it slides down into a tight space. Once the floss is securely between teeth, create a C-shape against one tooth with the floss and push upwards. Continue to do this with each tooth.

For a more thorough cleaning, interdental aids to help, such as:

  • Rubber stimulators, which remove interproximal biofilm and stimulate gum tissue
  • Interbroximal brushes, which can go between teeth and are great for people with orthodontic appliances
  • Oral irrigators, which can loosen debris before you begin flossing
  • Floss holders, which are plastic devices that make flossing easier for those with arthritis or those with small mouths.
Once you are done flossing, you can flush your mouth with an over-the-counter mouth rinse.

3. Assessing Your Cariogenic Food Intake

Cariogenic foods are those that contain sugars which are metabolized by decay-causing bacteria.

While many people think that candies and sweets are the only culprits, carbohydrates are a big issue. For instance, soda-pop isn't great for your diet, but soda may be better than crackers or cereal because your saliva washes the soda away and it doesn't stick to teeth.

Obviously, carbohydrates are an important source of energy, so it's important to change out simple carbs for complex ones. Complex carbs include fruits, grains, and veggies. Dairy products are also less cariogenic and can strengthen your teeth.

Contact Milwaukie Emergency Dentist to learn more about in-office appointments or improving your athome care. We want to help you with all of your preventative care needs.
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If you experience sensitivity in your teeth whenever you eat something cold, hot, or sweet, you may wonder why you have this problem and what can you do to stop it. Your sensitive teeth may be a result of enamel erosion.

Enamel erosion occurs when the surfaces of your teeth (enamel) wear down from a loss of calcium and other valuable minerals. A number of things can erode your enamel, including sweet and acidic foods and beverages.

Although you can't reverse enamel erosion once it occurs, you can take steps to reduce or stop its damaging effects on your teeth.

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