It’s easy to forget that good oral health is really the key to keeping your teeth in excellent condition. What a good oral health routine looks like has developed over the years and sometimes people get left behind. There are now many more products and types of products readily available to help benefit your teeth – so much so it can sometimes become overwhelming and confusing, not to mention very, very expensive. So we’ve put together a little starter guide to help with getting your daily clean in order.

Electric vs Manual

Now this is difficult because electric toothbrushes can be expensive and so they aren’t accessible to everyone but the reports do support that people with electric toothbrushes do have healthier gums, and less tooth decay and also keep their teeth for longer. However, that’s not to say you can’t get a good clean with a manual brush, you just need to make sure you’re taking extra care with your brushing style.

Brushing technique

Many people just pop the brush in their mouth and do a backward and forward motion for a minute or so and think this constitutes a good clean. This is incorrect. When people brush this way they largely avoid the area that needs the most care, the gums. Think more of a gum brush than a toothbrush. You also need to use different actions not just back and forth – move the toothbrush in a circular motion against the gum line and then move up and over each tooth individually. Don’t neglect the inside of the tooth either. You should be taking around three minutes to brush all your teeth. Set a timer for around 40 second per quarter of the mouth to make sure you’re giving an even clean. Ask our Dentist in Molesey to show you exactly the technique you should be using.

Flossing and interdental brushes

Flossing can feel like a faff – but it’s the key to getting deep down in the dark depths of the gum line where all the nasty germs like to hide. You should use a gentle ‘rocking’ action between each tooth. When the string reaches your gums, curve into a C-shape and hold against the tooth.

Interdental brushes are equally good at getting to clean those hard to reach areas. These mini brushes have a soft bristle brush on the end of them. They come in various sizes to fit between different gaps. You can use these alongside regular brushing. You only need to use them once a day – preferably at night time. You can even get special gel to use with them to kill off germs.

Mouthwash

Now if you’re doing all the above parts of your dental routine – you shouldn’t need to use a mouthwash but for some people it’s just a nice additional extra. It can help you feel extra clean and minty fresh but does also help lessen the amount of bacteria in your mouth. Some mouthwashes also contain fluoride which can really help in the prevention of cavities.

Seeing the Dentist in Molesey

You should be making regular check ups. Just because you don’t have any physical or visible signs of tooth issues doesn’t mean that there aren’t things going on below the surface and the only way to get the check is through visiting our Dentist in Molesey. Think of your dental appointments as the final part of your routine – you should be coming to see us every six to twelve months.