Dentist: Cleaning your teeth right

It is recommended that everyone should have a dental checkup every six months but at the very least you should endeavour to visit your dentist for a checkup once a year.

One of the routine procedures done on your visit is a general cleanup. A general cleanup will involve removal of stains, soft food debris and debris that has hardened over time. There are generally two types of teeth stains.

The majority are external stains that can easily be cleaned off by the dentist. Then there are other stains that are internal and would take more complex whitening procedures to rectify. Some of the common external stains are tobacco stains, tea stains and those stains caused by regularly consuming drinks with artificial colouring in them.

There are several causes of bleeding gums and one of them is when calculus (hardened food debris) forms around the neck of the teeth and under the gum. The gum will get irritated and become inflamed, leading to bleeding gums whenever you brush or eat. This may or may not involve pain, but the general rule is that if you notice your gums are bleeding, then you know you are due a cleanup.

Of course cleaning of your teeth should not be left entirely to your dentist.  You need to brush your teeth ideally every after a meal, but the very least you must make sure you brush before you go to bed. When brushing, don’t rush the process.

Make sure you brush all the surfaces of the teeth and the tongue. This will take about three to five minutes and after you have rinsed with clean water, use your tongue to check the smoothness of the teeth surfaces, and then decide whether or not you need to apply some more toothpaste and brush again.

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is: “What toothpaste do you recommend?”

With the numerous toothpaste brands that have flooded the market, you can understand the dilemma people will be faced with trying to look beyond the hype and pick a good one.

My advice has always been to encourage my patients to pick toothpaste that is ‘kind’ in their mouths. This is toothpaste that will allow you to keep the foam in your mouth for up to five minutes without having the urge to spit and rinse because you have a ‘burning sensation’ in your mouth.

Of course this may mean you try out a couple of them until you zero down on what works for you. Personal dental care comes down to how thoroughly and regularly you clean your teeth and not necessarily how good the product is.

Source: The Observer