Author of the article:
Soldatova Lyudmila Nikolaevna
Candidate of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Department of Clinical Dentistry of the St. Petersburg Medical and Social Institute, Chief Physician of the Alfa-Dent Dental Clinic, St. Petersburg
Teeth brushing is designed to prevent the development of caries, the appearance of plaque, bad breath and other phenomena in the oral cavity. You need to brush your teeth at least twice a day - in the morning (necessarily after breakfast) and late in the evening (before bed). Thanks to this, there will be no food residue left on the teeth, which will lead to the growth of bacteria.
It is also important to observe the interval between breakfast (especially if it is supplemented with orange juice) and hygienic brushing of teeth. This is done because when eating food containing acid, the softness of the enamel increases, and it can be destroyed under the influence of a toothbrush.
Why do you need to brush your teeth?
Oral hygiene is not only a matter of aesthetics. It is due to medical reasons. A plaque constantly forms on the enamel, consisting of: • food particles; • saliva; • waste products of microorganisms inhabiting the oral cavity.
The process of plaque deposition does not depend on whether a person ate in the interval between brushings. If it is not removed, over time it turns to stone. Contamination not only creates a cosmetic defect. Deposits contribute to the violation of the integrity of the enamel. Pathogenic bacteria penetrate into the resulting cracks and actively multiply under conditions of poor hygiene. This is how caries begins with all the known consequences. These microorganisms also attack the gums. In people who neglect to brush their teeth, gingivitis becomes chronic. If the inflammation is not treated, complications in the form of periodontitis and periodontal disease are possible. As a result, the root no longer holds in the socket and the tooth falls out.
Cleaning methods
Currently, dentists offer several methods for cleaning teeth. The oldest is mechanical, when tartar is destroyed using a special tool in the form of hooks. This method can injure your gums, so it is rarely used.
One of the progressive methods is ultrasound. Cleansing is carried out using an ultrasonic scaler. Stones are destroyed by sound vibrations of a certain frequency, while plaque is removed and supragingival and subgingival pockets are cleaned. The doctor can use attachments of different sizes, depending on the complexity of the treatment area and the thickness of the plaque. In addition, during the work, water or an antiseptic is supplied to the oral cavity, which removes stone particles through a dental saliva ejector. The patient does not feel pain, but if the necks of the teeth are sensitive, the doctor administers local anesthesia.
Modern laser systems allow not only to remove the hardest tartar, but also to whiten teeth. The device causes the evaporation of moisture contained in plaque and removes deposits from the enamel in layers. At the same time, the enamel receives a lighter shade, and the achieved result of a snow-white smile will last for several years. The procedure is absolutely painless, but for certain categories of patients there are contraindications.
The latest Swiss technology Air Flow makes it possible to remove particles of plaque, stone and pigments in hard-to-reach places, clean subgingival pockets and polish enamel. Treatment is carried out with a jet of cleaning mixture, which consists of sodium bicarbonate and water. Under high pressure, this composition is applied to each tooth. Regular baking soda acts as an abrasive. This sandblasting method allows for high-quality hygienic treatment, removing all excess from the teeth, achieving a smooth surface of the tooth enamel and its natural lightening. The manipulation is painless and pleasant for the patient. The result is a Hollywood smile and clean teeth.
The VECTOR device is the latest word in dentistry. It is intended for the prevention and treatment of periodontitis and acts by vibration. This technique takes advantage of ultrasonic waves and the active action of a fluoride and calcium based cleaning mixture. Using such equipment, the doctor removes deposits and bacteria, cleans subgingival pockets and polishes tooth enamel.
Modern people have a wide choice of professional hygiene methods. A consultation with a dentist will help you choose the most suitable one.
How to brush your teeth correctly?
It is a mistaken idea that everyone can do this. There are a number of rules, many of which are either unknown or ignored. However, only compliance with them guarantees effective cleaning of the enamel: • Carrying out hygiene procedures not only at home, but also at the dentist. • Rational selection of brushes and paste. • Using the optimal teeth brushing method. • Using dental floss, brushes and mouthwash. • Taking into account the condition of the gums, the presence of braces and dentures. • Compliance with the rules for storing, cleaning and replacing brushes.
Tablets for determining plaque will help you understand whether you have achieved your goal. They demonstrate whether unwanted deposits are present on the enamel. They also suggest which areas are not being worked through carefully enough.
Choosing a toothbrush
To completely clean the enamel from plaque, you need to choose a suitable brush. The easiest way to do this is by material. There are two options here - natural and synthetic. It is better to give preference to the latter, since they are quite elastic, and the tips of the hairs are usually rounded, which is safer for the gums. Bacteria multiply faster on natural materials.
In terms of the stiffness of the bristles, toothbrushes are: • Soft. They are best taken for children, adolescents and people suffering from gingivitis. • Average. A universal option for people without dental problems. • Tough. They help fight hard plaque and can be used only when indicated.
The configuration of the bristles should be discussed with your dentist. It will tell you where more sediment collects. For example, if you need to better work on the necks of teeth, bristles collected in bunches can handle this.
Pasta selection
Pastes are hygienic, preventive and therapeutic. The first ones solve the only problem - clean the enamel. The latter, due to the antiseptic component, help prevent the development of gingivitis and caries. Still others are prescribed by dentists for therapeutic purposes; it is better not to use them on your own.
Toothpastes are also distinguished according to the results of use: • whitening - slightly lighten the enamel, but you should not expect drastic changes from them; • strengthening – contain fluoride, good for enamel health; • desensitizing - reduce sensitivity; • anti-inflammatory - help with gingivitis.
Abrasiveness characterizes the degree of impact on plaque. The average value of this indicator is from 50 to 80. Higher values can be taken occasionally to lighten teeth. Lower abrasiveness is indicated for sensitive enamel and gums.
Proper brushing of teeth: sequence of movements
For hygiene purposes, you need to accustom yourself to a certain sequence of movements.
After squeezing the paste onto the brush, you must: • apply it to the teeth at an angle of 45 or 90 degrees; • pass each one 3-4 times in the direction from the gums to the cutting edge; • treat chewing surfaces with circular movements; • Allow at least 30 seconds of brushing for each half of the jaw. Depending on the location of the brush and the direction of movement, there are three methods of brushing teeth. The most famous (90 degree brush, top to bottom movements) is the Leonard method.
The Bass method involves choosing an angle of 45 degrees and making vibrating movements. It is good because the bristles penetrate into the interdental spaces and partially work out the contact surfaces. With the Fones method, an angle of 90 degrees is taken and the brush moves in a circle. This further massages the gums, which improves blood circulation and protects against inflammatory processes.
Three common mistakes
These mistakes lead to inflammation of the gums, the development of caries, and wedge-shaped defects.
- Move not from top to bottom, but from right to left horizontally. With this approach, food accumulates in the gaps, which leads to the destruction of the enamel.
- Store the brush in the bathroom without a cap and rinse it rarely. Due to high humidity, bacteria quickly accumulate on the bristles. To avoid this, rinse the brush thoroughly each time after the procedure and store it in a plastic case.
- Use regular thread instead of dental floss. Never do this! A regular thread is not sterile, which means it can lead to infection.
Additional oral cleansing
Oral hygiene is not limited to two rows of teeth. For complete cleansing it is necessary to treat: • Interdental spaces. Dental floss or a brush will help remove plaque. • Language. To do this, use the relief surface of the back of the toothbrush or a special scraper. • Gums. They are partly cleaned with a brush: at an angle of 45 degrees, the bristles approach the edge and capture deposits. Rinse aid also helps. • Cheeks. You can go over them with the back of the brush, but they require more rinsing.
You need to start by removing the largest food debris. To do this, just rinse your mouth with water. Then comes the turn of fragments stuck in the interdental spaces - this is where floss comes to the rescue. Now you can take up the brush with the paste. Rinse aid is used last - to create a protective layer.
Don't forget about an integrated approach
Don't forget about mouth rinses. Their use after brushing reduces the amount of plaque, which reduces the risk of developing many dental diseases. The patented formula of LISTERINE® rinses contains 4 carefully purified, stable and balanced components: thymol, eucalyptol, menthol, methyl salicylate.
*In-vitro studies, where Listerine was added to planktonic and biofilm forms of Kills up to 99.9% of oral bacteria (or bad bacteria or bad breath bacterai) in lab studies oral bacteria or pooled salivary bacteria, have demonstrated up to 99 .9% bacterial kill. 1. Fine DH et al. Comparative antimicrobial activities of antiseptic mouthrinses against isogenic planktonic and biofilm forms of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. J Clin Periodontol. July 2001; 28(7):697-700. Data on file: 2. RR946-0114 (1998) 3. RR931-1150 (2002)
Up to contents
How to brush your teeth with gingivitis?
Inflammation of soft tissues is not a reason to neglect hygiene. On the contrary, the more often cleansing is done, the less chance bacteria have to support the inflammatory process.
However, you need to take precautions: • choose brushes with soft bristles (preferably rounded); • choose a paste with low abrasiveness and containing medicinal herbs; • give preference to the Bass method, and abstain from the Fones method until remission; • move your hand more carefully to avoid painful sensations.
Cleaning time should not be shortened, even if the procedure causes discomfort. Sometimes dentists even recommend increasing it. Inflammation of the gums is accompanied by the formation of pockets. Where their edges lag behind, stone grows with particular intensity. This place deserves more careful study.
How to clean dental structures?
Dental structures in the mouth make adjustments to the cleaning process: • Crowns. More attention should be paid to the area where the gums come into contact with the prosthesis. • Bridges. A round mono-tuft brush is more suitable for them. • Veneers. The teeth where they are installed cannot be treated with floss. The ban does not apply to other methods. • Braces. The space under the arch and the area adjacent to the enamel is cleaned with brushes.
In all of the above cases, it is necessary to use an irrigator. Conventional cleaning devices are not able to penetrate all the places where plaque accumulates. There are no barriers for water. Under the pressure set by the device, it knocks out stuck food fragments, preventing them from decomposing or turning into stone.
How do plaque tablets work?
We usually contact a dentist to assess the quality of oral hygiene. It identifies areas that are not cleaned effectively and makes recommendations for replacing the paste or brush. But in between visits to the clinic, you can cope without the help of a doctor.
Special tablets, developed by the Swiss company CURADEN, will help with this. They are part of the CURAPROX range of dental care products. Determination of plaque occurs as follows: • the tablet is diluted in water; • after brushing, a person rinses his mouth with this solution, distributing it over his teeth; • deposits are stained, clean enamel remains intact.
The tablets also help distinguish soft plaque from tartar. The first one becomes pink, the second one becomes dark blue. This way you can understand whether it’s time to go for ultrasonic cleaning.
Why do I need to have an examination and x-ray at my first visit?
Being one of the best dentistry in Krasnodar with more than 14 years of experience, Smile Clinic has developed its own principles to provide the best dental care to our patients. From the moment you enter our dental office, we take responsibility for your well-being. However, without x-ray vision, neither our hygienists nor our doctors can guarantee the health of your teeth. An old filling that appears healthy may have internal decay that cannot always be detected just by looking at the tooth. Periapical pathology that forms at the tip of a tooth root that may have been injured during a catch (or other contact game) cannot be diagnosed and will not be discovered until the nerve is dead, in which case you may end up root canal treatment or, even worse, removal of such a tooth.
Consequences of not brushing your teeth properly
Proper and timely cleaning of dental plaque is protection against oral diseases.
If you neglect it, the consequences will only increase: • Tartar forms. It gives off an unpleasant odor. If you do not carry out ultrasonic cleaning, it will become a favorite place for bacteria. • Bacteria will destroy the enamel. The abundance of pathogenic microorganisms quickly leads to caries. • Bacteria will cause your gums to become inflamed. Soft tissues are no less sensitive to them than hard ones. And this means bleeding, swelling and an unpleasant odor.
Possible complications are also worth mentioning. Caries develops into pulpitis, which requires removal of the nerve. This deprives the tooth of nutrition, as a result of which it sooner or later collapses. Progressive gingivitis is fraught with periodontitis and periodontal disease. Lack of oral hygiene leads to tooth loss. Restoring them is more expensive than the cost of a brush, paste and professional cleaning. Therefore, it is better to remember these simple rules and follow them.
Contraindications
Despite the effectiveness of the procedure, as well as the harmlessness and safety of professional teeth cleaning in dentistry, in some cases, cleansing methods are contraindicated. This is relevant when:
- diagnosing acute infectious diseases of bacterial or viral etiology;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity;
- minors (under 18 years of age).
There are also individual limitations specific to individual patients. For example, this may include increased sensitivity of incisors, canines and molars, allergic reactions to anesthetic components and other substances. In any case, you will need a mandatory consultation with a dentist; he will consider all the advantages and compare them with possible risks.
Are there any restrictions for pregnant women
During pregnancy, you need to take care of your health, since the mother is responsible not only for her own body, but also for the condition of the child in the womb. The oral cavity should be given special attention. During the gestational period, many types of professional teeth cleaning in dentistry are allowed (as done using ultrasound and other methods, discussed above), but it is important to take into account some points.
The gestation period is of great importance. In the third trimester, the procedure is contraindicated, since due to stress it can cause intense uterine contractions and lead to premature birth. Until the 28th week of gestation, you can have your teeth cleaned by a hygienist if the expectant mother feels well and the gynecologist at the antenatal clinic has not found any contraindications.
When you come to the clinic, you should notify the doctor about your pregnancy. This way you can choose the safest and most effective method of cleansing.
Are there any restrictions for children and teenagers
Some parents believe that baby's milk units do not require careful care and treatment, since they will fall out anyway and be replaced by permanent ones. If oral hygiene is neglected, premature extraction may be required, which will negatively affect the subsequent eruption of molars, canines and molars.
A child should not be taken to ultrasound and laser, since such methods can harm the fragile and thin children's enamel. How the procedure is carried out, professional teeth cleaning is done for small patients:
- a special paste is applied to strengthen hard tissues and prevent caries;
- “Air-Flow” delicate cleansing is performed (over 6 years of age);
- manual processing (the dentist must have extensive experience and a high qualification category).
