What is Basic Dental Care?

Basic Dental Care involves getting into a routine of brushing and flossing on a regular basis in the morning and at night. Next to flossing and brushing your teeth should be seen by a dentist regularly for having an in office cleaning and a check up. The dentist really knows how to treat your teeth properly to prevent cavities and gum disease.

Practicing Basic Dental Care Prevents:

  • Tooth Decay, by that the need for fillings, crowns and other costly procedures.
     
  • Gum (Periodontal) Disease, which can damage gum tissue and the bones that support teeth, in the long term can lead to the loss of teeth.
     
  • Long visits with the dental hygienist and your dentist
     
  • Your mouth from attracting bacteria that causes bad breath
     
  • Staining from food, drinks, and tobacco therefore keeps your teeth white
     
  • Losing your teeth (the possibility to keep your teeth a lifetime)
     
  • For all the above you not only save money but improve your overall health.

Brushing at the correct time is an important component in the overall dental health.

Unless otherwise told by your dentist brushing should be conducted twice daily followed by flossing. There is very little evidence to have perfect healthy gums and teeth by brushing once a day.

Recommend that the first brush of the day should be done before breakfast. Brushing after breakfast will damage teeth as the enamel is softened by a rapid rise in acidity after food is consumed. The acid developed after eating softens the outer protective enamel and brushing shortly afterwards may causes a thin layer to be removed permanently. The acid in your mouth will be neutralized by your saliva within one hour. This means that over many years you do not remove the protective layer of the teeth.

After brushing with fluoride toothpaste, the structure of the tooth becomes stronger. The enamel of your teeth, reinforced by fluoride, is resistant to bacteria attack and the toothpaste has one more added effect, toothpaste is alkaline and therefore reacts with any rise in acid activity therefore neutralizing the mouth from acids.

The reverse is true at night. Have your meal and then wait a minimum of one hour before brushing. This allows sufficient time for the saliva in your mouth to neutralize the acids developed after eating. This means that the enamel which is softened by the initial rise in acidity is hardened and once again resistant to the wear and tear of the bristle fibers form the toothbrush.

How to Brush Your Teeth Correctly:

  • Always remember to use a toothbrush with soft rounded bristles. Using hard bristles will lead to gum tissue damage and prolonged use may cause gum recession.
     
  • Wet your toothbrush and then squeeze out a pea-size amount of toothpaste.
     
  • Now hold the brush at a 45 degree angle towards your gums in a circular motion combined with forth and back. Always the upper teeth should be cleaned first. Begin brushing the front side of the teeth located at the back of your mouth. At one time only 3 teeth should be cleaned together.
     
  • It is important that you clean the part of the tooth that is closest to the gum. If this part is not cleaned it leads to gum diseases.
     
  • Once you finish cleaning the outer surface of the teeth, concentrate on the chewing surface. The inner surface of the teeth should be cleaned last. Many people find it difficult to keep the toothbrush at 45 degrees when brushing the inner surface.
     
  • Once you finish cleaning the posterior three teeth, it is time to move on to the next three teeth in front. Repeat the cleaning process described above.
     
  • This way clean all the teeth on the upper jaw and then use the same technique to clean the teeth on the lower jaw.
     

How to Floss Your Teeth:

Dental Floss can reach areas which a toothbrush cannot. Dental floss is more flexible, and can be used to get down to the gum line in between the teeth. It is recommended that teeth should be flossed with 18 inches (45 centimeters) of dental floss. This will allow the user to use a clean section of dental floss on each tooth.

Flossing should be done with care to prevent cutting into the gums Press the dental floss gently along the tooth into the gums and move it back and forth, as well as up and down, to dislodge embedded material. When you are finished with one section, move to a clean section of floss and start on the next tooth.

Avoid foods that contain a lot of sugar. It will give room for cavities to grow. Also avoid tobacco products this will cause gum diseases and oral infections. Exposure with smoke especially second hand smoke can trigger health condition problems.

Proper Tongue Cleaning:

Tongue cleaning is important particularly to people who are smoking. You can use a tongue cleaner or a soft-bristle toothbrush, stroking in a back-to-front direction.