Many people assume that dental care is all about caring for the teeth. Unfortunately, dental care basics go beyond the teeth to include the entire mouth. It is about caring for the cheeks, tongue, jawbone, and gums. Taking care of your entire mouth will not only benefit your oral health but also your overall health. The reason people still develop cavities, oral infections, and other dental concerns despite claiming to practice proper oral hygiene is that they overlook certain basics of dental care. Your overall dental health hinges on both your use of proper techniques and your understanding of oral hygiene and care. Let us delve into the basics of dental care that you should know to improve your oral health and hygiene.
Wait for at least 30 Minutes After Consuming an acidic substance before brushing your Teeth.
One common aspect of dental care that many people overlook daily is not brushing their teeth immediately after consuming acidic foods or beverages. While many people, including dental professionals, recommend brushing your teeth immediately after consuming a sweet or acidic substance, doing so might cause more harm than good to your oral health. The reasoning behind brushing immediately is that it minimizes the duration of contact between the teeth and acid debris in the mouth. This means that minimal contact between acid debris and the enamel will not cause demineralization, thus reducing the risk of cavities. So, it is true that brushing immediately can be advantageous to your teeth.
However, there is a downside; examining the oral chemistry behind it is essential if you want to maintain healthy teeth for a long time. Whenever you consume an acidic food or beverage, the mouth pH drops drastically for a few minutes, which softens the tooth enamel. The enamel is the hardest part of the tooth and is meant to remain so, protecting the dentin and pulp. However, a temporary softening due to a drop in pH can soften the enamel. Brushing immediately when the pH is still low means you will remove some parts of the softened tooth surface. Cleaning away the parts of the tooth every time you consume acidic substances will erode the enamel, and over time, it will become weak and susceptible to cavities and breakage.
What should you do to safeguard the enamel from wear? One strategy is to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste in the morning before breakfast, when you might be exposed to acidic foods or beverages that can erode your enamel. If you brush first, the fluoride in the toothpaste forms a protective layer over the tooth that hardens the enamel. So, even a temporary drop in mouth pH will not soften the enamel, exposing it to wear.
Similarly, if you prefer to brush after eating, wait 30 to 60 minutes before brushing. When the pH in the mouth drops, saliva production neutralizes the acid and restores normal pH. Once the mouth's normal acidity levels are restored, the enamel naturally hardens and regains its original strength. So, waiting before you can brush gives the enamel time to harden, preventing mineral erosion when you brush.
Lastly, you can reduce prolonged contact between acidic debris and tooth enamel, which increases the risk of cavities, by swishing your mouth with clean water immediately after consuming the acidic substance. This removes the debris and triggers pH neutralization, which is crucial in preventing further enamel softening. The trick to brushing after taking an acidic diet is the timing. Wait for at least 30 minutes before brushing for maximum benefits.
Utilize a Soft Brush
The rule of thumb in dental care is to replace your toothbrush every 3 months. Many people observe this rule, but often ignore the type of toothbrush they are changing. There is a common misconception that the harder you brush your teeth, the cleaner they become. It might make sense, but the truth is that hard brushing or using a toothbrush with hard bristles does more damage than good to the teeth and gums. Using hard-bristled toothbrushes does not mean you are cleaning your teeth more effectively; it only signals the amount of wear and tear being inflicted on your enamel and gums. Therefore, as you focus on changing your toothbrush every three months, ensure you replace it with a soft-bristled brush.
You can comfortably remove food debris and plaque in the mouth by brushing gently with a soft brush. Avoid using hard-bristled brushes or scrubbing hard, as this can cause abrasions on the tooth surface, which can lead to tooth sensitivity if the dentin is exposed.
Additionally, applying excessive pressure when brushing can cause the gum tissue to pull away from the gum margins, exposing the tooth root. Continued gum recession can cause deep pockets that accumulate debris after some time and become breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. You could develop oral conditions, such as gum disease and tooth decay.
So, stick to soft toothbrushes for healthy teeth and gingival tissue. The soft bristles will eliminate debris and plaque in the mouth while causing minimal damage to the enamel and soft tissue. Further, when using the soft toothbrush, hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums; you can remove plaque buildup along the gum margins. Brush the front and back surfaces of the teeth using small circular brushing motions. Instead of scrubbing hard, gently grip the soft brush and move it lightly to remove buildup without damaging the teeth or gums.
Avoid Rinsing your Mouth Immediately After Spitting Out the Mixture of Saliva and Toothpaste
Another basic dental care issue people ignore is waiting before you can rinse their mouth with water or mouthwash after you spit the toothpaste in the sink. It comes naturally to feel the need to rinse the mouth after spitting out the toothpaste and saliva. While many people rinse immediately, it is counterproductive because rinsing washes away the fluoride layer that is meant to protect the teeth and gums.
You use fluoride toothpaste when brushing to strengthen your teeth's enamel and form a protective coat that not only protects the tooth but also penetrates it, triggering remineralization that strengthens the tooth further. Remineralization from the toothpaste also cures the sections of the enamel that had already been eroded, restoring the tooth’s natural structure and strength.
So, when brushing, adopt the strategy of not rinsing after spitting so that the fluoride can do the work it is intended to do. Make it a routine to brush for two or more minutes before spitting out the toothpaste and saliva. Furthermore, do not rinse your mouth, as the fluoride film covering the teeth promotes remineralization, heals microscopic damage in the enamel, and forms a protective layer against germs.
Rinsing the mouth after brushing is not harmful. However, timing is everything: if you do it at the wrong time, you will remove the fluoride film that benefits the teeth, making the entire activity counterproductive. Avoid rinsing after brushing; instead, rinse after lunch, since many people do not brush their teeth afterward. In the morning and evening, when you brush after eating, avoid rinsing. Adjusting the timing of when you rinse your mouth will protect your teeth and strengthen them because you will benefit fully from the fluoride.
Floss Once a Day Using the Right Technique
Some individuals only floss when food particles are lodged between their teeth. However, this is the wrong approach to flossing because food particles can get stuck between the teeth without you feeling them. If you do not dislodge this debris, which cannot be removed by brushing and rinsing alone, the particles feed harmful bacteria, which, in turn, produce toxins that cause bad odor and increase the risk of periodontitis.
You do not floss teeth just to remove stuck debris. When done with the appropriate technique, flossing can remove the sticky film, or plaque, that forms between teeth and along the gum margins, preventing buildup that could cause multiple dental issues. Flossing offers many benefits, but only when done correctly. Taking the wrong approach will harm the gums, leaving them irritated or bleeding after the routine.
So, what is the proper way of flossing your teeth? First off, you should tear off 12 to 18 inches of dental floss and hold it so you have a few inches in your hands. Slip the tape in the spaces between the teeth and gum margins until you feel a barrier. Wrap the floss snugly around a tooth to form a “C” shape, then scrape or floss the tape up to remove the plaque. Scrape up and down on each tooth at least 8 times to remove all biofilm and food particles. Repeat the process until all teeth have been flossed. Switch to a floss holder if you cannot properly hold the tape with your hands. When you floss correctly, you remove plaque that causes gingivitis and gum disease without causing soft tissue bleeding or inflammation.
Avoid Sugary or Acidic Substances
Many people love snacking throughout the day. Unfortunately, many of these snacks are high in sugar and acids that can adversely affect your oral health. One basic dental care practice that many dentists encourage patients to follow is limiting intake of sugary or acidic foods and drinks. Unfortunately, many patients interpret these instructions as meaning to avoid acidic or sugary foods or drinks for a long period to limit sugar intake. While sipping one soda for hours throughout the day limits your sugar or acid intake more than drinking multiple bottles of soda over a short period several times a day, prolonged exposure to sugar or acid when sipping one drink or eating one snack throughout the day causes more harm to your teeth. Oral chemistry is not about the amount of sugar or acid that passes through the mouth, but rather about the duration the enamel is exposed to the substance.
Every time a sugary or acidic substance passes through the mouth, the pH drops, softening the enamel and increasing the risk of enamel wear and other oral conditions. However, once you stop ingesting the substance, the saliva naturally neutralizes the pH, restoring the enamel’s hardness. Now, the problem with snacking throughout the day is that saliva does not have a chance to neutralize the pH raised by the sugary food or drink you have ingested, meaning the enamel is exposed to wear and harmful bacteria throughout the day. As a result, the tooth becomes susceptible to demineralization, which weakens its structure and can lead to cavities.
So, as much as you want to limit the number of sugary and acidic foods and beverages you consume in a day, doing so gradually over an extended period is not an option. If you must snack, do it quickly. If it is an acidic beverage, take it after a main meal. If it is a snack, have it as a dessert after a meal, not between meals. That way, you will have time between meals for saliva to neutralize the mouth's pH, restoring the enamel to its usual state.
Additionally, after consuming a sugary or acidic substance, swish your mouth with water immediately to remove debris and reduce the time the drink or food particles contact the enamel. Once you remove this debris, you initiate the pH neutralization process, helping the enamel recover faster.
If you must sip your acidic or sugary drink slowly over several hours, consider using a straw to minimize the contact between the drink and your teeth. Additionally, wait for 30 to 60 minutes before brushing. When it is time to brush, brush gently using a soft toothbrush.
Visit the Dentist Regularly
The basics of dental care do not focus only on what you do at home. Dental visits are just as crucial because some aspects of your oral health care require specialized tools and skills. So, after you cover the basics, ensure you visit your dentist at least twice a year for comprehensive dental exams and cleanings. Normal brushing can only remove plaque, but once this biofilm hardens into tartar, you will need a dentist to clean it. Regular visits are also vital for identifying oral issues early and treating them before they progress. If you are at risk of oral issues, such as cavities and periodontal disease, you might need more than two visits to the dentist to maintain proper dental health.
Find a Competent Dental Professional Near Me
Many people believe they incorporate dental care basics in their routine but still end up with oral issues. While you can still develop dental issues even with proper dental care, understanding the basics of dental care can significantly lower the risk of oral problems and help you enjoy a healthy and beautiful smile for a long time. However, this should not eliminate the need to visit a dentist regularly. If you require advanced dental care and guidance, Los Angeles Advanced Dentistry can help. Call us at 310-361-2080 to schedule an appointment.
