How to care for your teeth: From choosing a brush to going to the doctor
Masha Vorslav
Tooth care is a routine duty, about which we all seem to know, but in fact not. For example, choosing the right toothpaste and brush with all the diversity of the market is not easy. We found out from the specialists whether everyone needs electric toothbrushes, what is the minimum amount of resources for proper tooth care, and how to clean them properly.
How to brush your teeth at home
The basic rule about brushing your teeth twice a day has not been canceled, while it is electric, that you need to brush with an ordinary brush for at least 2-3 minutes. According to the periodontist of the dental clinic "Aurora" Anna Novak, it is possible more often, but not after taking sour food, otherwise you can damage the enamel. "The individual technique of brushing teeth is important, it is necessary to consult with a dentist about it. After the brush, wide interdental spaces should be treated with an interdental brush chosen by the doctor for each case and use interdental thread," Novak recommends.
The main thing is to remember that cleaning with floss does not replace treatment with an interdental brush or brush, and vice versa. Both teeth and interdental spaces must be cleaned daily. Also, do not forget about the language - regularly clean it and use mouth rinse for deodorizing purposes. "In periodontitis and gingivitis, rinsing is necessary, and if the goal is to prevent the appearance of caries, you should use a remedy that contains fluorite, if there are no contraindications."
How to choose a brush and paste
According to Novak, the stiffness of the bristles is one of the most important factors when choosing a brush. Using a hard or medium hard brush, it is possible to severely damage the enamel with an incorrect cleaning technique, and it is impossible to restore it. This also applies to electric brushes. "In this case, usually, with good manual skills, brushing with a manual toothbrush is sufficient. If the oral hygiene of the home after an ordinary toothbrush remains unsatisfactory, an electric one is needed," explains Novak.
Olga Muzychevskaya, general director of Art of smile, also does not consider electric toothbrushes to be a panacea: "You cannot use an electric brush with insufficiently cured caries and white spots on the enamel - active mechanical pressure provokes the destruction of such teeth. If you definitely want to buy a new product, you must consult a dentist and undergo a course of remineralizing therapy, while pediatric dentists recommend parents to purchase an electric toothbrush and clean their teeth at least once a week for a child with such a brush. Up to seven years, as a rule, children cannot brush their teeth well, and parents should not only teach them to do it, but also help them until they learn. "
Do not consider a good paste if it gives a lot of foam
The second important point - the choice of a suitable toothpaste. "Pastes for 100 rubles and 1000 rubles are very different from each other in quality of ingredients. For example, in the USA the same brand of pasta produces a different product for the local market and for export. Therefore, the abrasive particles in export pastes are not sufficiently processed. For the local market the quality of the paste is higher, the abrasive particles are processed - smoothed, crushed and rounded - Nowak shares. - For European manufacturers, the export quality is higher, but also not comparable to the local product.In cheap pastes ingredients are used that can Anesthesia is a health hazard, sodium lauryl sulfate, for example. Therefore, do not consider a paste good if it gives a lot of foam - most often the opposite is true. "
Olga Muzychevskaya is also confident that for 100 rubles it is impossible to buy good imported pasta - the cost of the product for this should be scanty, which means the manufacturer will probably save on ingredients. "Always pay attention to the composition (this also applies to expensive pastes): whether there is triclosan, SLS; how abrasive the paste is, whether it has confirmed quality certificates, confirmed clinical trials," recommends Muzychevskaya.
With increased caries formation, doctors recommend choosing a paste with fluoride or a paste that improves the structure of the enamel. If the enamel is quickly erased or the roots of the teeth are bare, a low-abrasive paste is necessary. As a rule, pastes that improve the structure of enamel, are well struggling with the sensitivity of teeth. The main thing to remember is that for this they need to use a course of 3 to 6 months.
How often do you need to go to the dentist and what procedures to do
Hygienic cleaning should be done every six months or a year - it depends on the lifestyle. At the routine inspection, which will help you individually choose the paste and brush, you also need to come twice a year. During it, it is also possible to prevent the development of caries. According to Ekaterina Pogromova from Gloss & Floss dental care studio, in addition to occupational hygiene, remineralization procedures are needed - especially for adolescents, pregnant women and patients with tooth hypersensitivity. And once again in half a year it is necessary to polish the restorations in order to preserve the natural appearance of the crowns of the teeth. Polishing of teeth should be done regularly to reduce the number of bacteria in the oral cavity, to get smooth teeth: the smoother the surface of the teeth, the less bacteria adhere to them, so that the risk of formation of tartar decreases.
Does whitening harm your teeth and does everybody need to do it
Modern whitening can be done at home or with a specialist. Natalya Lotfullina, a hygienist, explains: “Desk bleaching is tube (light or laser) and not tube when a special preparation is applied to the teeth. They are all safe, because they are made on the basis of hydrogen peroxide. Home bleaching is recommended to be done once a year, with individual bleaching You can make caps 28 days a year, twice a week or two. After bleaching, it is important to have a “white” and “transparent” diet for two or three days, that is, do not drink tea, coffee, red wine and eat sauces and it is better to refuse lipstickhighlighter shades. And to strengthen the enamel after the procedure, there is a special paste (eg, Theodent 300) that support the results, prepare the teeth to whiten teeth and reduce sensitivity. If you follow the diet, the whitening effect can be kept for several years. "
Despite the fact that whitening does not harm the teeth, it can be done not all and not always. "It is contraindicated to do bleaching during pregnancy, lactation and people with allergies to hydrogen peroxide," - specifies Lightfullina. With teeth hypersensitivity, fluorosis in serious stages and age up to 16 years, whitening also does not, confirms Pogromova. According to her, do not whiten restored teeth (crowns and veneers), otherwise they will need to be changed after the procedure.
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