Coming to see us for your 6-monthly check and clean is a wonderful way to make sure your oral health stays on track, but so much of your dental health comes from the work you put in at home. It can be daunting though; there’s a mountain of products out there! It can be hard to know where to get started and what products are right for you.
So let’s break it down to the basics…
Brushing your Teeth
The bread and butter of happy teeth! Toothbrushes work like the scourer in your kitchen sink, they scrub away breakfast, lunch and dinner brilliantly. Unlike your dishes though, teeth are a little trickier to clean.
A lot of us have heard the “two minute, twice daily” guide when it comes to brushing, but it can take a little finesse to do the job really well. If you’re using a manual toothbrush, small circular motions to work those bristles into little nooks and crannies is essential. It can be tiring, awkward and let’s be honest, we don’t all make it to two minutes.
That’s why we dentists love to recommend electric toothbrushes. Once you get that little head in the right spot the brush does a lot of the heavy lifting for you and will keep track of that two minute goal for you.
Toothpaste
The options seems endless when it comes to toothpaste! Like shampoo, sometimes it can come down purely to preference. There are a few things to help guide your decision though. Most major toothpaste brands will contain fluoride – a wonderful natural element that helps strengthen our teeth against holes and decay. Natural toothpastes generally don’t contain fluoride, so how you brush, your diet and your flossing habits become a lot more important to help keep your risk of decay low. If you still find you’re getting holes at every check-up, your dentist might recommend a high fluoride toothpaste to help you out while we figure out the cause.
If you have generally sensitive teeth, sensitive toothpastes help reduce the sting of those cold drinks and foods. Give them a bit of time to work – about 2 weeks is usually when you start feeling the benefits.
Flossing
Even with the best toothbrush and flawless technique, brushing alone doesn’t clean every surface of our teeth. That’s where flossing comes in – it cleans between the teeth in the areas the brush can’t reach. We’ve all had that embarrassing moment of having something stuck between our teeth, but the reality is that sugars, food and plaque gets stuck in those little spaces all the time.
String or tape floss is great when used well – your floss should hug the edge of each tooth, from the top down to the gumline. No need to see-saw those gums though! If you’re having trouble getting fingers and floss into all those spaces, flossettes or a Floss-Mate make that job a little easier.
Easier still are interdental brushes (you might know them by the brand Piksters). These handy brushes work like a tiny toothbrush for those hard-to-reach spaces. With oodles of sizes and brands to choose from, have a chat with us about what size is best suited for your teeth.
Mouthwash
What a fresh treat! If toothbrushing is the main course, think of this as your after-dinner mint; a little treat you may not always need. Mouthwashes are great for a boost of freshness, but don’t physically clean your teeth. There are loads of special varieties to help with issues like dry mouth, staining, or if you’re prone to getting cavities – chatting with your dentist is a great way to make sure you’re getting the most benefit out of your mouthwash and using it correctly.
And that’s just the start of it! If it all seems a bit overwhelming the good news it that we’re always happy to discuss the best way to look after your teeth.