What are the general dental hygiene measures to be followed?
The most important oral hygiene measures are:
Brushing twice daily.
Restricting food intake to meal time.
Reducing intake of soft and sticky food.
Rinsing mouth thoroughly after food consumption.
Visiting dentist once in 4-6 months for regular check-up
What is the correct procedure of tooth brushing?
The right method of tooth brushing and brushing twice a day of tooth will ensure healthy teeth for lifetime.
The bristles of the brush should be held at an angle of 45-degree near the gum margin thereby allowing the bristles to gently enter the gum sulcus. (The narrow space between gum and tooth below the gum margin).
Now the brush should be moved forward and backward in a gentle motion. This removes the debris from the region below gum margin which is the common site of deposit formation.
Gradually, the bristles should be moved down towards chewing surface pushing the debris along with cleaning those surfaces of teeth
This method should be extended to next set of teeth and each time the brush should engage 3-4 teeth. Thus the outer surfaces of all teeth are cleaned.
The chewing surfaces should be cleaned next. These are the most common sites of cavity or decay formation. The bristles should be held flat against the chewing areas and should be moved forwards and backwards.
Next comes the inner aspect of teeth and again bristles should be held at 45-degree angle and cleaned.
To clean inner aspects of front teeth brush is tilted vertically behind them. Up and down movements of bristles clean up this area.
Lastly tongue should be cleaned with bristles flat against the surface of tongue in forward and backward motion.
What is flossing?
Teeth’s flossing is the procedure of removing plaque between the teeth and around the gum line.
Brushing and flossing procedures help in thorough cleaning of all surfaces of teeth.
What is the procedure of flossing?
The right flossing procedure has been explained below.
1. Break off about 45-50 cm of floss and wind most of it (~30 cm) around one of your middle fingers.
2. Wind the remaining floss around the same finger of the opposite hand. This finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty.
3. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and forefingers, leaving ~3cm of floss between your hands.
4. Guide the dental floss to the space between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. Never snap the floss into the gums to avoid injuries.
5. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth.
6. Hold the floss tightly against the tooth. Gently rub the side of the tooth, moving the floss away from the gum with up and down motions.
7. Repeat this method on the rest of your teeth. Don't forget the back side of your last tooth.
8. It is important that you wash your mouth with water or mouthwash after flossing your teeth, so the debris you have loosened up is rinsed out of your mouth.
