How to take care of your teeth? - this question is asked by many of us. Despite the advances in dentistry, caries is still one of the most common diseases. It affects as much as 97% of adult Poles! So how to properly care for your teeth to avoid it? See the 5 most common mistakes.

These errors are not only limited to the wrong technique of brushing teeth, but also include the wrong selection of a toothbrush or toothpaste, poor eating habits, an unhygienic lifestyle and the lack of regular preventive visits. Checkhow to take care of your teethto keep them he althy and beautiful.

1. Wrong brush selection

There are many different brushes on the market: sonic, electric, whitening, bamboo, with activated carbon, with a flexible head and fine fibers, but which one should you choose?

Experts agree that when choosing a toothbrush, we should pay the greatest attention to 3 things:

  • Bristles.- Brush bristles are divided into two types:cleaning and polishing . The latter is sometimes in the form of rubber protrusions, which are designed to remove surface deposits, ultimately leading to the optical brightening of the teeth.
    For most people, asoft bristle brushwill be the best choice. Hard fibers can erode the enamel, as well as wedge defects, irritate the gums; on the other hand, too soft, e.g. labeled "super soft", will not be able to remove plaque - says Dr. Monika Stachowicz from the Periodent Periodent Treatment and Prevention Center in Warsaw.
  • The shape of the head.The head should be rathernarrowto fit better in the mouth and be more agile.
  • Handle length . The longer the handle isthe longer , the better - it will allow us to reach the most distant molars, which are often not cleaned.

What other mistakes do we make?

  • Too rare replacement of the toothbrush- according to the recommendations, we should do it regularly every3 months .
  • Excessive brushing force- instead of reducing plaque on the teeth, it can lead to tooth sensitivity, gum recession or exposed tooth roots.
  • Irregular tooth brushing- experts recommend brushingteeth at least2 times a day for 2 minutes , preferably after each meal, but it is rather unrealistic.

2. Wrong paste

The most important factors when choosing a paste are:

  • Fluoride content.Fluoride has proven anti-caries properties. It is best if its value exceeds1000 ppm- then we can be sure that it will protect the enamel against bacteria.
  • Other additives.The composition of the paste should depend on our preferences, but alsoailmentswe struggle with, that's why people with tooth sensitivity or with gingivitis should only use toothpastes designed specifically for them.
  • RDA, which is the coefficient of enamel abrasiveness.Best in the range of50-70 . Mild toothpastes have an index below 30 and those intended for smokers above 70.

3. Bad tooth brushing technique

How many people, so many techniques for brushing teeth. For example, the circular method is recommended for children, and for people with gum recession - the so-called Stillamann's method. However, regardless of which technique we choose (or better: the dentist will choose us), it is important to beexactandnot overuse .

Our task is to remove food debris from the teeth, gums and tongue, soplaque discoloring tablets(they are cheap and easily available in pharmacies) ). They can be used both in children and adults.

4. Bad eating habits and the use of stimulants

The two main factors that contribute to poor condition of teeth and gums are:

  • Eating sweets- under the influence of sugar, bacteria produceacids that destroy tooth enamel , which results in caries.
  • Smoking- Cigarette smoke containstar , toxins and carcinogens that damage the cells that line the mouth, causing them to regenerate more slowly , reduce the amount of saliva produced, antibacterial compounds and enzymes, which can contribute to gum disease. Importantly, alsoelectronic cigaretteshave a bad effect on our teeth due to the propylene glycol, glycerin and nicotine they contain.

5. Avoiding visits to the dentist

This is one of our biggest problems. We explain ourselves with the lack of time, fear of the dentist, finances, and recently also limitations related to the epidemic.

- We shouldn't skip dental checkups. The most important, the cheapest and the simplest is prevention . We can avoid many serious problems by regularly attending oral cavity checkups and dental hygienisation every six months, on average. When we have symptoms or ailments - more often, of course. Early diagnosis of periodontitis is treatable and does not necessarily mean tooth loss. Likewise, there are many other conditions that we can keep in check. Adequate habits and a regularly visited dentist are enough. We should remember that check-ups at the dentist's are not only an element of prophylaxis of the he alth of teeth and gums, but also of the whole organism - says Dr. Monika Stachowicz.

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Category:

Dentistry and Orthodontics