In general, individual oral hygiene means the regular removal of plaque from the surface of the teeth and gums using hygiene products. Proper oral care at home requires a set of specialised products. Oral care is not only about regularity and following the steps, but also about correctly chosen, high-quality products. They can be divided into basic and additional ones.
Basic individual oral hygiene products:
Toothbrushes
Toothbrushes come in manual and electric types. A toothbrush should be chosen individually. When buying one, consider the bristle stiffness, the size and the comfort of the handle grip. You should brush your teeth twice a day for about 3 minutes. The brush should be replaced every 2-3 months.
Toothpastes
Toothpaste is a complex multi-component system designed to clean, deodorise and provide a beneficial preventive and therapeutic effect on the tooth tissues. They vary widely: therapeutic, preventive, cream, gel, with different fluoride content. They are chosen individually, depending on the indications.
Additional oral hygiene products:
- floss (dental floss);
- mouth rinses;
- cleaning aids: scrapers, brush-scrapers;
- an oral irrigator;
- interdental brushes for cleaning the spaces between teeth.
Dental floss
Dental floss is designed to clean the spaces between teeth. It comes in several varieties: flat, round, twisted, waxed or unwaxed. Floss should be chosen according to your individual characteristics, based on the distance between adjacent teeth. Dental floss is an excellent addition to other oral care products, but it must be used correctly so as not to injure the gum.
Tongue cleaning aids
A clean tongue is an important part of oral hygiene, and it should be cleaned as often as the teeth. There are special scrapers for this; you can also clean the tongue with the silicone coating on the back of the heads of some brushes.
Mouth rinses
To reduce plaque formation, you should use a rinse at least twice a day for 30 seconds. With regular use of this liquid oral hygiene product, the teeth and mucosa are additionally cleaned.
Irrigator
An irrigator is a device for cleaning the surfaces of the teeth and the spaces between them with a jet of water or a special solution delivered into the mouth under pressure. This measure, which complements the traditional procedures using a brush with paste and dental floss, raises the level of daily hygiene. Cleaning teeth with a water jet does not damage the enamel and makes it easy to reach the most inaccessible places — for example, the back or inner sides of the wisdom teeth. In addition to cleaning, the device gently massages the gums while it works, which improves their tone and reduces the likelihood of inflammation. The device does not replace a toothbrush but is an effective element of oral care. Using an irrigator is especially recommended in the following cases:
- Bleeding gums;
- A frequent feeling of dry mouth;
- Anatomical features (crowding) of the teeth.
An irrigator is especially recommended for patients who have fixed orthopaedic and orthodontic structures or implants.
Interdental brushes
A dental brush helps clean the spaces between teeth of various food residue and plaque, where a toothbrush simply cannot reach. But they are not only for cleaning interdental spaces. Dental brushes are a recommended tool for cleaning dental bridges and implants, as well as orthodontic appliances such as braces.
Do not forget to visit the dentist regularly (once every six months) and undergo preventive dental procedures. The doctor will be able to monitor the condition of your teeth and gums and detect disease at an early stage in good time — or, on the contrary, delight you with news of the excellent health of your teeth and gums.
