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Professional hygiene is a reliable path to oral health. Rules for maintaining oral hygiene

Proper oral hygiene can reduce the risk of problems with teeth and gums. The importance of regular oral care cannot be overestimated. In this article you will learn how to do it correctly, what care procedures exist, and the most commonly used oral hygiene products.

In the process of human evolution, teeth “learned” to withstand heavy loads. But even this is not enough for them today.

Poor ecology, poor quality of drinking water and other problems have a detrimental effect on the condition of tooth enamel. Namely, she is the main protector of teeth from disease and destruction.

Good dental care includes daily brushing and periodic visits to the dentist.

Proper oral hygiene is:
Caring for your teeth with a brush and toothpaste. Twice a day;
Cleaning teeth from food debris and plaque immediately after eating it;
Regular inspection oral cavity and professional care in the dentist's office.

An important part of proper oral hygiene is brushing your teeth. But, you need to not only brush your teeth regularly, but also do it correctly.

The toothbrush should be held at an angle of 45 degrees to the surface of the tooth. In addition, it is necessary to move correctly toothbrush along the surface of the tooth. The bottom row is cleaned from bottom to top, and the top row, vice versa. That is, the movements of the toothbrush should be from the gums to the surface of the tooth.

Teeth are brushed in the following sequence: First, you need to brush them with outside, then move to the inside, and finish cleaning on the chewing surface of the tooth.

IMPORTANT: Each tooth must be brushed at least ten times.

Filled teeth are the weakest, so you need to pay more attention to cleaning them.

When brushing your teeth, you need to pay attention to your tongue. In addition, you need to massage your gums. In the morning, use a toothpaste with a whitening effect, and in the evening, use a toothpaste with medicinal herbs.

After every meal, especially one that includes sweet dishes, it is necessary to clear your mouth of any remaining sugar. For this purpose you can use chewing gum. But you shouldn’t keep it in your mouth for a long time. Ten minutes will be enough.

To clean teeth from stuck pieces of food, a special dental floss. It can also be used for oral care after meals.

Oral hygiene products


Oral hygiene products

The basis of oral hygiene is cleaning teeth from food debris. For this purpose the following are used:
toothpaste;
Toothbrush;
dental floss;
toothpicks;
mouth rinse.

In order to take good care of your teeth, you need to choose the right products for such care. Special attention You need to pay attention to the choice of toothbrush and toothpaste. The brush is selected according to its degree of hardness. If you are afraid of injuring your teeth by choosing the wrong toothbrush, then it is better to consult a dentist. The specialist will select this hygiene item based on an examination of your teeth. The same goes for toothpaste.

IMPORTANT: It is best to select such hygiene products together with your dentist.


Recently, the procedure of ultrasonic cleaning of teeth has been very popular. With this hygiene procedure you can clean your teeth from dark plaque. This plaque can be caused by drinking coffee, tea and smoking. But even for those people who do not abuse it, their teeth may darken over time.

Unfortunately, dark plaque is not only the cause of deterioration in the appearance of teeth, but also a harbinger of the formation of tartar.

You can protect yourself from this problem by using ultrasonic teeth cleaning. Removing plaque and tartar using ultrasound today is the most effective procedure brushing teeth. Any modern dental office has an ultrasonic scaler, with the help of which this procedure is carried out.

Removing plaque and tartar using such a device is a painless procedure. With the help of ultrasonic vibration acting on teeth, you can achieve removal of not only visible to the eye deposits, but also those that cannot be detected even with the help of special means.

IMPORTANT: Ultrasound not only fights deposits and tartar, but also destroys bacteria harmful to the body.

At ultrasonic cleaning The tooth enamel is not damaged at all. Moreover, having been cleared of deposits, tooth enamel absorbs better nutrients from toothpaste and food.


Unfortunately, it is not always possible to achieve oral health through care and prevention alone. Sometimes you have to resort to treatment. Problems with teeth and gums can appear due to heredity, the use of various medications, spicy food, alcohol and the development of various infectious diseases.
Oral diseases are classified into:
infectious and inflammatory;
viral;
fungal.
Infectious and inflammatory processes in the oral cavity include: pharyngitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the throat), glossitis (inflammation of the tongue), gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and stomatitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane in the oral cavity). If you have symptoms of these problems, you should get qualified assistance from specialists.
TO viral diseases oral cavity include herpes and papillomas. It is impossible to completely get rid of these problems. By using therapeutic methods it is possible to eliminate the manifestation of these diseases.

IMPORTANT: Fungal diseases oral cavity can lead to candidiasis.

Oral candidiasis

Oral candidiasis is a disease that is caused by the actions of yeast-like fungi - saprophytes. As a result, they appear on the oral mucosa and tongue. white coating. Such plaque usually does not cause painful sensations. But, if it is not detected in time and treated, candidiasis can “grow” to other organs.

Oral candidiasis can be caused by poor nutrition, decrease immune system, work in harmful conditions labor, etc. Treatment of oral candidiasis occurs with the help of various medications. The most popular of them are: antifungal drugs like nystatin or levorin.

Prevention of caries


Prevention of caries

Caries is a slowly progressing pathological process of destruction of hard dental tissues. Translated from Latin, caries means “rotting.” Many experts consider caries to be a scourge of teeth. modern society. It is believed that the development of this disease was influenced by modern diet nutrition and poor ecology.

Today it is believed worst factors influencing the development of caries are:
Wrong balanced diet;
The presence of harmful compounds in drinking water;
Social and climatic conditions.

In order to reduce the development of caries, it is necessary to eat properly and drink clean water and perform regular oral care.

IMPORTANT: Dental caries can often be caused by eating too much sweets between meals.

Sugar residues on teeth lead to destruction of their enamel.

In order to prevent caries, you need to brush your teeth after eating, eat solid fruits and vegetables (they have a teeth-cleaning effect) and increase your intake of fluoride-containing foods. Fluoride is a mineral that is an effective weapon against tooth decay.


Professional oral hygiene

Professional oral hygiene is a set of measures aimed at caring for teeth and gums, carried out in specialized institutions. This procedure is performed by periodontists or dental hygienists.

When you first contact specialists for professional oral hygiene, they will perform an examination and determine the presence of problems associated with teeth and gums. Then, the dentist will develop a set of measures related to solving the identified problems.

IN professional hygiene oral cavity includes:
Training in proper dental care;
Selection of hygiene products;
Cleaning teeth from deposits.
And other events.

To keep your teeth healthy and beautiful, you need to visit regularly. dental office. A professional oral examination will help identify most dental problems. early stage. Which will greatly simplify their solution.
Be healthy!

Video: Professional oral hygiene

Proper oral hygiene will help avoid the development of caries and unpleasant odor and will help preserve healthy teeth for a long time. In case of insufficiently effective or irregular care, plaque forms, food crumbs remain in the interdental spaces, which eventually decompose. This leads to the development of inflammation and deterioration in the appearance of the teeth.

What is included in the rules of oral hygiene

There is a stereotype that choice is expensive and is the main condition for compliance. This is not entirely true.

There is no doubt that selection is very important, however, the desired result can only be achieved by taking a comprehensive approach.

Oral hygiene is usually divided into two components - individual and.

Each of them is important to prevent the threat of dental diseases.

Individual events include:

  • Cleaning your mouth after every meal.
  • Care of the interdental space.

Experts recommend that the most appropriate time for implementation this process, is morning and evening. After teeth, it is also necessary to carry out cleaning, using a brush-scraper or rinse aid and deodorant for oral cavity.

You can also carry out hygiene after lunch, but not everyone has time for this due to being busy, so it will be enough to rinse your mouth with water or a special one.

Instructions for good care of teeth and gums at home

The classic method of caring for the oral cavity is carried out using toothpaste and a brush, but high-quality cleaning of the interdental space is impossible, so it should be added to the set.

The choice of dental equipment is undoubtedly important, however, without a good brushing technique, the results will be insignificant. Not everyone knows how to carry out this procedure correctly. Exist various techniques brushing teeth and many argue about correct position brushes and other parts. Among the basic rules, dentists recommend adhering to the following:

  • Hold the brush at an angle of 45 degrees relative to the gums and teeth.
  • The first row of teeth to clean should be the lower one, after which you should start cleaning the upper one.
  • To prevent injury to the gums or enamel, it is recommended not to apply strong pressure on the brush.
  • Proper brushing begins with the front teeth, gradually moving to the back.
  • The chewing surface should be cleaned in a circular motion.
  • The duration of cleaning should be at least 3 minutes.
  • After the procedure, do light massage gums using soft circular movements with the brush.

Professional hygiene procedures in dentistry

Professional hygiene procedures include an assessment of existing problems and further stones. If necessary, local anesthesia can be used.

First of all, the specialist uses it to remove soft and hard deposits from the surfaces of teeth and in the space between them. There will be no damage during the procedure. The next step is to treat the subgingival spaces using hand instruments.

In the case of pigmented plaque, which was obtained as a result of drinking coffee, certain medications, tea, or is caused by smoking, use additional procedure ultrasound using a device.

The next step is to polish the enamel. This procedure necessary to protect teeth from bacteria and plaque. To perform this, polishing pastes are used, which are applied using attachments in the form of brushes and rubber bands. Strips will be used where the teeth touch.

The next step is to apply it to the enamel. This tool necessary for removal due to saturation of the enamel with fluoride ions.

After completing all procedures, the specialist will give recommendations on how to keep your teeth clean.

30-40% of plaque remains on the surface of the teeth even after careful self-care. Experts recommend undergoing the full procedure 2 times a year.

Teaching children proper oral hygiene

Usually children are not favorable to brushing their teeth, as they perceive the mouth as intimate area and do not allow adults to interfere with it using a brush.

Parents need to monitor and clean after every meal. It is important to ensure that the baby develops a habit in the future.

Recommended from the age of two, but care must be taken to ensure that the child does not swallow the paste. You should use a paste with a pleasant smell and taste. It should contain calcium, and after 3 years - fluoride. Ideally, it should contain sorbitol and xylitol, these components protect against caries and add taste.

In the process of moving the brush, all movements should be sweeping, starting from the gums to the edges of the teeth, and then outward. Attention should be paid to the entire oral cavity, for this it is necessary to brush the rows from the upper right edge and ending with the lower one.

Even at the age of 10, it will be difficult for a child to take care of oral hygiene on his own; for this reason, parents will have to bear responsibility for dental health.

Dentists' advice on choosing individual oral care products

Dentists advise choosing individual hygiene products according to following rules:

  • . It is selected individually; when choosing, you need to pay attention to the ease of gripping the handle and size. Thus, for bleeding gums, it is recommended to use. The size of the handle should not be small so that you can operate the device freely and not cause harm to your gums and teeth. The brush should have rubber elements to prevent slipping. It needs to be changed every 3 months. The best solution will give preference to an electronic device, but if there is excessive mobility of the teeth or some other pathologies, it cannot be used.
  • . Can be used in medicinal and. In the first case, it is selected individually by the doctor, and in the second, it can be purchased independently for effective hygiene oral cavity. Toothpaste should have a pleasant aroma, appearance and taste, a cooling, cleansing and disinfecting effect, and have preventive action and be harmless.
  • . It is necessary for cleaning the interdental spaces; it has several varieties: round, flat, covered with wax and without it. The thread is selected depending on the distance between the teeth. When choosing, you should pay attention to the absence of fiber delamination, the presence of a pleasant aroma, and the softness of the thread.
  • . caries prevention, preference should be given to products based on sodium fluoride or amino fluoride; the fluoride concentration in them should be about 250 ppm. If you have or have other problems, you should consult your dentist about the best option.

Proper oral care allows you to maintain not only the health of your teeth, but also their appearance. No one will be pleased with the plaque and unpleasant aroma. Also, following the rules of hygiene will help preserve funds, because in this case, trips to the dentist will be significantly reduced. It will be enough to visit a doctor twice a year for preventive purposes and to select individual funds for care.

For strong and healthy teeth, it is necessary to follow basic rules of oral and dental hygiene from a very young age. The habit of observing healthy image will keep your entire oral health healthy in the future. Definitely, each of us should think about preserving our teeth, because they are the main tool for the primary processing of food.

Proper balanced diet (less sweet and sour, more dairy, which contains calcium) – guarantee of healthy teeth. But besides proper nutrition In order to keep your teeth healthy, you also need to take care of their hygiene. Let's consider the process proper care for teeth.

It is necessary to begin the process of brushing your teeth immediately after they begin to grow. For children, this is done using a cotton swab on a stick or a sterile soft cloth. Thus, from childhood, you can teach your child that brushing his teeth is part of general hygiene. As your baby begins to show teeth, he will need to be shown how to use a toothbrush. If baby teeth fall out, you should not ignore caring for them, as more problems may arise in the future. serious problems, especially when permanent teeth begin to emerge.

Oral hygiene

Rules for daily dental and oral hygiene

Rule 1. You need to brush your teeth at least 2 times a day with toothpaste or use tooth powder, both externally and externally. inside. A toothbrush can remove plaque or food debris, while toothpaste or powder will fresh breath oral cavity, eliminate unwanted odor and destroy harmful microflora.

It is best to brush your teeth with toothbrushes that vary in the size of the working surface, materials (made of synthetic materials or pig bristles), and also in shape. It is best to use brushes that have a working surface of three to 3.5 centimeters for adults, and for children from 2.5 to 3 with a curved surface.

The most effective way keeping the toothbrushes used clean and preventing their excessive bacterial contamination (in 79-85% of cases streptococci may appear on the brushes, in 4-5% coli, and 10% staphylococci) is to rinse thoroughly with running water after use. It is also recommended to cover the work surface with soap foam, which can be easily washed off before next use.

Brushing your teeth should be done for two or three minutes, and it is necessary to include from three hundred to five hundred paired movements along and across the teeth so that the interdental spaces can be cleaned. Also don't forget about massaging your gums. In order to make it convenient for a person to brush their teeth, the surface can be divided into twelve sections and each one can be cleaned and massaged in turn. After eating, you must rinse your mouth thoroughly warm water or special solutions. It is advisable to change your toothbrush once a quarter, and more often if it wears out.

Choosing the right toothbrush:

  • the length of the cleaning head should be from 20-30 mm;
  • It is better to choose a cleaning head with smooth, rounded transitions;
  • you should choose a multi-tuft brush, which consists of various individual tufts and bristles, with roundings at the ends of the tufts;
  • Brushes with medium bristles are considered the best;
  • It is best to choose bristles from artificial fibers.

The toothbrush should be thoroughly rinsed with water after brushing your teeth, dried and replaced every three to six months.

In addition to the teeth themselves, you also need to carefully monitor the dental spaces. The best time to clean between teeth is in the evening before you brush your teeth. For this purpose, there are special brushes so that you can clean the dental spaces, especially when they are large enough. If your teeth are tightly spaced together, you can clean them using special silk threads. The best place to start is with waxed thread, since it can be easily inserted into the dental space. But in such cases, pieces of wax from the thread may get stuck in the spaces between the teeth, in which case the effectiveness becomes lower than that of unwaxed thread.

To remove food debris from your teeth, you can use wooden toothpicks. In this case, medical toothpicks can be more adapted to the shape of the dental perineum.

Tooth powder refers to a more complex mixture based on chalk calcium orthophosphate with the addition of white magnesia to add fluffiness and lightness. Magnesium peroxide, which is contained in tooth powder, can effectively disinfect the oral cavity and whiten teeth.

Toothpastes can be divided into two types: hygienic (which clean and refresh) and therapeutic and prophylactic (helping to treat and prevent gum and tooth disease). These toothpastes contain abrasive substances that effectively polish the surface of the teeth and remove plaque. Typically these are aluminum oxide and hydroxide, calcium phosphates, zirconium orthosilicate, precipitated chalk, silicon dioxide. In order for toothpaste to better retain its properties, glycerin, sorbitol, and gelatin-like components synthesized from cellulose are added to it.

In addition, a small amount of chlorophenol or formaldehyde is added to toothpastes for a disinfecting effect. Foaming in toothpastes is provided by sulfonated soap, for example, by rubbing the salt of alizarin oil. In addition, manufacturers include fluorine-containing substances in the composition of therapeutic and prophylactic pastes - sodium fluorophosphate, sodium fluoride, etc. such substances are capable of forming a hard protective layer on the surface of tooth enamel.

Fluoride supplements will help ensure the formation and distribution of bacterial plaque on the teeth, which can subsequently cause caries. In addition, manufacturers include anti-inflammatory substances in the paste that strengthen the mucous membrane in the mouth and can reduce bleeding gums. In order for toothpaste to have a pleasant aroma and taste, brown, eucalyptus, mint or clove oil is usually added to it.

As a rule, transparent toothpastes are made on the basis of silicon dioxide (gel), and they contain medicinal and flavoring components, but their mechanical cleaning of teeth is worse compared to other toothpastes.

Rule 2. Often, ignoring the rules of oral and dental hygiene can lead to an unpleasant odor. In order to avoid an unpleasant odor in the mouth and strengthen the gums, it is recommended to brew and then rinse the mouth with a decoction of one tablespoon of St. John's wort flowers in one glass of water. A decoction of mint will help refresh your mouth after eating. To eliminate yellowness on teeth, it is recommended to use baking soda with the addition of a few drops of lemon juice.

Rule 3. For dental hygiene, it is useful to eat one hard apple after meals. Its fibers will help remove plaque, and the saliva released during thorough chewing will help wash away any remaining carbohydrates. In addition, malic acid will help restore normal level acid-base balance in the mouth.

Rule 4. Among other things, it is better to visit a hygienist who will tell you how to brush your teeth, maintain dental hygiene, and also select tools. It is recommended to visit the dentist twice a year. Since professional dental hygiene should include a number of measures, both diagnostic and therapeutic, which will help detect dental plaque and select The best way their removal.

Professional oral and dental hygiene– is a measure for the prevention of periodontitis (inflammation of the gums) and caries, which, among other things, is also characterized by a cosmetic effect. It is necessary to visit the dentist once every six months to ensure comprehensive oral hygiene and diagnose carious cavities. A visit to the doctor will help prevent the occurrence of stomatitis and periodontal abscesses in the future.

What is dental plaque? When improper care and cleaning teeth at home, dental deposits may appear, which consist of microorganisms, food debris, and salivary proteins. This can lead to gum disease and dental caries in the future. In progress professional cleaning All types of dental deposits are removed from the entire surface of the tooth.

Professional hygiene includes:

  1. tartar;
  2. hard plaque;
  3. elimination of deposits on the gums and soft plaque.

If daily brushing of your teeth at home does not lead to the expected results, you should contact your dentist. The dentist will clean your teeth and oral cavity at a professional level.

Is dental and oral hygiene necessary from a dentist? In the human dental system there are hard-to-reach places (periodontal pockets and interdental spaces) in which it is impossible to eliminate bacterial plaque using personal hygiene products at home. When brushing your teeth, you may not notice and miss some areas, especially hard-to-reach places where accessibility is practically zero. Microbes often accumulate in such hard-to-reach areas; in the future, this can lead to an increase in dental plaque, the formation of tartar, and ultimately, inflammation can occur.

Some people's bodies are predisposed to the formation of tartar (hard plaque), which cannot be removed by yourself at home. This can often happen due to malocclusion, and also due to anomalies in the structure of the dental system.

Professional dental hygiene should usually be carried out in several stages:

  1. Removing tartar. To carry out this procedure, ultrasonic scalers are used, which help remove tartar without damaging it. tooth enamel;
  2. Brushing your teeth with a sandblaster, which will help remove pigmented plaque from your teeth, which is formed under the influence of food coloring or nicotine;
  3. Final polishing of teeth using nano-abrasive paste that contains fluoride;
  4. Coating of teeth with preparations that contain calcium fluoride to saturate the tooth enamel.

Dentists advise performing comprehensive oral hygiene procedures two to four times a year, at least. It can reduce gum bleeding and also prevent gum disease.

Often the cause of inflammatory phenomena, for example, bleeding gums, can be poor hygiene in this area. Some people do not know at all what is the best toothpaste or toothbrush to use. In this regard, they need professional consultation with a hygienist in order to prevent inflammation on the initial stages periodontitis (gingivitis).

Many dentists pay great attention professional oral hygiene. Prevention measures in dentistry have led to the need to form a whole area that is aimed at comprehensive oral hygiene. Dental hygienists remove supragingival deposits. Hygienists, using special brushes, ultrasound or cleaning pastes, carefully remove supragingival deposits in the oral cavity without damaging the tooth enamel.

It is not possible to whiten teeth during the procedure for removing supragingival deposits, but the teeth become healthy and clean. Professional teeth cleaning is recommended not only for adults, but also for children. Naturally, taking into account their individual characteristics. It is recommended to visit a dental hygienist twice a year (at least). If the patient has bleeding gums, tartar, carious lesions, as well as fans of coffee, strong tea, wine, and smokers, it is recommended to visit the dentist quarterly.

Before dental treatment, prosthetics, or professional whitening, it is imperative to have professional hygiene and teeth cleaning done by a dental hygienist.

The main responsibilities of a dental hygienist in general work with a dentist:

  1. Carrying out epidemiological surveys, as well as drawing up a schedule of treatment and preventive work;
  2. Preparation and training in all methods of dental prevention;
  3. Sanitary educational work;
  4. Establishment of hygienic indices of samples;
  5. Professional hygiene and teeth cleaning;
  6. Creation of conditions for rinsing the mouth with fluoride-containing and remineralizing solutions;
  7. Sealing permanent teeth non-invasive methods and fissures of mammary fissures;
  8. Coating teeth with fluoride gel or varnish;
  9. Evaluating the effectiveness of a prevention program.

The dental hygienist must treat diseases of the mucous membrane (if any). It is also necessary to prevent caries with special fluoride-containing preparations (fluoride gels or fluoride varnishes), curettage, treat fissure caries, in addition, he can give recommendations on the choice of toothbrushes, gels, rinses and toothpastes.

Prices for professional hygiene vary from six thousand to twelve, depending on the situation and indications.

Oral hygiene is home and professional care of teeth, mucous membranes, and interdental space. The procedure at the dentist must be done about 2 times a year. At home, you need to brush your teeth twice a day. The evening procedure is considered the main one, since it helps remove food particles that have accumulated during the day.

Oral health assessment by a dentist

Dentists use special indices to assess the degree of contamination of the oral cavity. The indicator is assessed using dyes that are applied to enamels. The procedure is completely painless, so patients should not be afraid of this test. The dye is applied to the anterior, anterior teeth, vestibular and medial surfaces of the elements.

The index is determined for each element in the oral cavity. The rating scale is as follows:

  • 1-1.5 – good;
  • 1.5-2 – satisfactory;
  • 2-2.5 – unsatisfactory;
  • 2.5 – 3.4 – bad;
  • 3.4 – 5 – very bad.

Each clinic uses its own methods for assessing dental hygiene.

Devices for the procedure

Effectively cleaning the oral cavity from plaque and food debris is possible only by using a set of hygiene products. The list of care devices includes several types of toothpastes, floss, brush and irrigator. These devices will reduce the number of visits to the dentist.

Choosing a toothbrush

The principle of operation of an electric brush is to constantly rotate a disk with bristles under the influence of electric current. The electric brush is replaced as often as a regular one - once every 2-3 months.

There are two main types of products - simple and electric brush. The devices also differ in the level of bristle stiffness. For bleeding gums and sensitive enamel, it is recommended to use brushes with soft bristles. In addition to them, dental floss and irrigators must be used, because such products cannot efficiently remove all plaque from the teeth. If a person does not have dental diseases, then it is better for him to use brushes with medium-hard bristles. The choice of oral care device largely depends on the structure of the person’s jaw and the condition of the teeth.

Features of selecting an irrigator

The irrigator is designed to remove food particles from hard-to-reach areas that cannot be reached with a regular or electric toothbrush. Hygienic care performed using a powerful jet of water or medicine emitted by the device.

There are several types of products depending on the principle of operation and dimensions:

  • portable;
  • running on water supply;
  • stationary.

A portable irrigator has a smaller size. It works the same way as an electric toothbrush - it runs on batteries. The device can be taken with you on the road and used at home. A stationary irrigator is different large size and requires connection to an outlet. For this reason, it is more often used in dental clinics. The simplest and cheapest option is a device connected to the water supply.

The choice of device type depends on the characteristics of the dental disease:

  • any type of irrigator is used to prevent caries and gum inflammation;
  • To combat pathologies, they use devices into which special medications can be poured.


What is included in the irrigator kit? The device comes with several types of attachments. They are designed to treat various areas of the oral cavity: gum pockets, lateral and front teeth, braces

There are practically no contraindications to using the device, but before using it you should read the instructions. It is not recommended to use the device if there is significant bleeding of the gums and there are wounds on the surface of the mucous membranes. If you have any doubts about the possibility of using an irrigator, you should consult a dentist.

The need to use dental floss or dental floss

The device is necessary for effective cleaning of the interdental space. The accessory also comes in several types: twisted, flat and round. Floss is used after home oral hygiene with a brush and paste. The thread must be soaked antiseptics and wax. The size of the device is determined depending on the distance between the teeth.

Toothpicks and brushes

The main cause of dental problems is reproduction pathogenic bacteria due to poor oral hygiene. Pathogenic flora often lives in the interdental spaces, which are difficult to clean. To prevent carious processes, toothpicks and brushes are used.


Toothsticks are a thin wooden stick with one pointed end. The device must be used carefully so as not to damage the gums and soft tissues.

The design of brushes differs from toothbrushes. They consist of a thin metal base on which the fibers are attached.

Rules for choosing toothpaste

In the absence of dental diseases, children and adults are recommended to use preventive pastes. The composition should be changed once every 2 months to avoid getting used to the components of the paste.

At pathological processes in the oral cavity, the choice of paste is agreed upon with the dentist. For example, when gums are irritated, pastes and rinses with anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous components are required.

Algorithm for brushing teeth with a regular brush and toothpaste

Proper oral hygiene includes using a toothbrush and toothpaste twice a day. Thus, the enamel surface is cleared of soft plaque.

The brush is placed at an angle of 45 degrees to the gum and moves from the base of the gum to the cutting edge of the element. The movements are repeated up to 10 times for each zone. This method is used only when cleaning the anterior elements and canines.


When moving to the cutting edge of the tooth, the brush is held at an angle of 90 degrees.

To care for the side teeth, the brush is also placed at right angles to the teeth. Movements are made left and right for the front and inner surfaces. Any remaining food particles between the teeth are then flossed.

During the procedure, adhere to the following tips on oral hygiene:

  • cleaning starts from the left corner lower jaw towards the front incisors, and after that from the central elements they move to the lateral teeth on the right;
  • cleansing of the inside of the lower jaw is carried out in the direction from right to left;
  • The upper jaw is worked in the same way.

The duration of the procedure is up to 4 minutes. Before performing personal hygiene, it is advisable to rinse your mouth with clean water.

Cleaning your mouth with an electric brush

Many patients prefer electrical products rather than simple ones. They cost much more regular brushes, but, as practice shows, they do not provide noticeable benefits when performing oral hygiene in adults.

The movement of the villi is carried out by a running motor operating at a high frequency (more than 50 head revolutions per minute). Dentists often recommend electric brushes to children who do not know how to use them correctly. with a regular brush. The same applies to older people who have problems with coordination of movements.

Rules for using floss

Flat products are more suitable for treating the interdental space between dense elements. The thread glides thanks to the action of saliva and special impregnating compounds.

You need to use floss taking into account the recommendations for oral hygiene:

  • a small piece of tape up to 30-40 cm long is torn off and secured to the first phalanx of the middle finger;
  • the tape is stretched and placed in the interdental spaces up to the gums;
  • Using back and forth movements, push the remaining food towards the cutting edge.

When flossing, the fingers of one hand are placed in the mouth. The thread is guided to the desired position with the thumb or forefinger.


Sometimes a flossette is included with dental floss. It is necessary to hold the thread in a taut position.

Rules for using the irrigator

Not all patients know what an irrigator is and how to use it correctly. The situation is complicated by the fact that products purchased on the Internet are not always supplied with instructions in Russian.

Typically the product has the following settings:

  • switching operating modes;
  • changing the number of rotations per minute;
  • pressure control per minute;
  • automatic shutdown after a certain period of time.

The device is necessary for the hygiene of gums and hard-to-reach areas in the oral cavity. The use of an irrigator is almost always carried out in the bathroom, so before using it, you need to make sure that the device’s wires or battery compartment are reliably protected from liquid penetration. Some irrigators are additionally equipped with ultrasonic lamps. The radiation coming from these lamps contributes to the death of pathogenic bacteria in the oral cavity.

Rules for using the device:

  • Teeth and gums do not immediately get used to the powerful flow of water, so for the first time you need to adjust the water supply to the minimum value. As you get used to it, the pressure increases.
  • First processed open areas in the oral cavity - the front teeth, palate, tongue, and after that the side elements and the inner surface of the row are treated. Dentists advise patients to mentally divide the jaw into 4 parts and treat each of them sequentially.
  • It is necessary to direct water to the gums with caution, as damage to them can lead to serious complications.

Professional dental care

It should be noted that the main fact that is an indication for a professional procedure is insufficient oral hygiene performed at home. As a result of such brushing, a soft plaque forms on the teeth, which subsequently hardens and turns into tartar. A person will not be able to cope with the problem on his own.

The professional procedure includes:

  • Ultrasonic cleaning. The method allows you to quickly and painlessly remove hard deposits from the enamel surface. The impact on the tooth is carried out using vibrations. The ultrasound technique does not damage the enamel and has high efficiency. The method is prohibited for oral hygiene in pregnant women.
  • AirFlow method. Using a special device, a soda solution and water are released into the patient’s oral cavity under pressure. The elements are cleaned of plaque and tartar and become several shades lighter.
  • Teeth polishing professional teams containing zirconium microgranules.
  • Fluoridation. Apply trays with gel to dry enamel for 1 minute. During this time, the tooth has time to absorb fluoride ions.


An important stage of professional teeth cleaning is a consultation with a dentist. The doctor recommends certain type oral care products suitable for the individual patient

Hygiene rules for children

The algorithm and rules for brushing teeth in children and adults are not much different. You need to take care of your child’s oral cavity from infancy. After each feeding, the baby’s gums are wiped with a cloth soaked in soda solution or a fingertip.

It is necessary to teach your child the rules of oral hygiene after the appearance of baby teeth. For a child, they specially purchase a brush with soft bristles and toothpastes with neutral chemical composition. The first procedures should be short - up to 30 seconds. Each time the duration of cleaning increases.

Parents should teach their child to squeeze a small amount of paste (no more than a pea) onto the brush. For additional oral hygiene in children, you can use special wipes soaked in xylitol. The substance destroys pathogenic microorganisms, multiplying on enamel and gums. These napkins are stored in the refrigerator.

Consequences of poor hygiene

An indicator of quality oral care is the absence of gum problems. The procedure helps prevent various dental problems: development of caries, early tooth loss, periodontitis, bad breath.


Failure to follow the basic rules of the procedure leads to the fact that the soft plaque on the teeth crystallizes and turns into stone.

Hard formations cause detachment of the gums from the neck of the tooth. Bacteria actively multiply in periodontal pockets.

Scientists have identified more than 60 types of diseases that manifest themselves as a consequence of improper home oral hygiene:

  • endocrine disorders;
  • dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract;
  • nervous disorders;
  • kidney pathologies;
  • cardiovascular disorders;
  • rheumatism.

Active reproduction of pathogenic flora leads to the formation of a chronic focus of infection in the mouth. This affects the functioning of the body’s defenses and leads to damage to various internal organs. Therefore, comprehensive oral hygiene is important to maintain snow-white smile and maintaining overall health.

If you dream of having healthy gums and a Hollywood smile, proper hygiene oral hygiene should become an integral part of self-care. How to care for your oral cavity and what hygiene products to choose for this is worth understanding in more detail.

Doctors Ancient Egypt argued that a person's state of health should be judged by his teeth. If you take proper care of them and monitor the condition of your gums, you can significantly reduce the number of trips to the dentist, which will undoubtedly have a positive effect on the elasticity of your wallet. Oral hygiene should be performed regularly and throughout the day.

This includes the following procedures:

  • cleaning teeth and tongue with paste and toothbrush;
  • rinsing the mouth after each meal;
  • cleaning spaces between teeth;
  • preventive examination by a dentist.

What should be proper oral hygiene? Every person must know the following rules: early age teach your children to do this.

  1. You need to brush your teeth twice a day.
  2. Change your toothbrush at least once every three months.
  3. Choose your toothpaste responsibly.
  4. Don’t forget to clean your tongue, cheeks and gums of plaque.
  5. A preventive examination by a dentist should be performed at least once every six months.
  6. After each meal, use mouthwash, and if this is not possible, keep chewing gum in stock.
  7. Do not forget to clean the spaces between the teeth from food debris using threads (floss).
  8. You need to brush your teeth for at least three minutes, since the fluoride substances in the toothpaste begin to work three minutes after brushing.

The choice of toothpaste is very important. Modern cosmetology and dentistry offer a huge selection of them. These are hygienic, therapeutic and prophylactic, salt, anti-inflammatory, desensitizing, whitening and pastes with antiplaque properties. Let's consider their features. Hygienic pastes serve exclusively to clean tooth enamel from plaque and to freshen breath. They can be used by children from six years of age. Therapeutic and prophylactic pastes fight caries. They contain fluoride and calcium, the combination of which strengthens tooth enamel. Anti-inflammatory pastes should be used if the gums are bleeding or inflamed. These products contain extracts medicinal herbs. Desensitizing pastes are used for hypersensitivity teeth to external stimuli. Salts improve blood circulation in the gums and remove small plaque on the teeth. But to prevent plaque from forming, pastes with antiplaque properties are used. The cost of these pastes is completely different. But it is wrong to think that the more expensive the pasta, the better it is. For decades now you can see on pharmacy shelves big choice tooth powders. They are much cheaper, but they do their job no worse than expensive pastes. In some cases, it’s even better, because they contain exclusively natural ingredients.

No less important is the choice of toothbrush. It all depends on the sensitivity of the gums.

According to the degree of hardness, all brushes are divided into the following types:

  • soft (for sensitive gums and for children);
  • medium hardness;
  • the toughest (for removable dentures).

In our time of technology, such a thing as an electric toothbrush has appeared. It is convenient because, with the help of its motor, it makes 50 rotations per minute, and this allows you to achieve high results in cleaning your teeth and gums from plaque and tartar. But the largest amount of it collects in the spaces between the teeth. A simple toothbrush or an electric one is not capable of cleaning these places in the mouth with its bristles. Floss threads are ideal for this task. They are made from silk or synthetic fibers Dental floss soaks special compounds, which destroy pathogenic microbes between teeth.

It is very important to teach children about oral hygiene from birth. From the first days of life, the remains of milk and infant formula should be removed using a cotton pad soaked in warm water. boiled water. When the baby's first baby teeth appear, he must be taught to use toothpaste and a toothbrush every day. To do this, you should purchase a soft children's toothbrush and hygiene paste for children from 1 to 3 years old. The process of brushing teeth can be turned into an exciting game, which will undoubtedly bring pleasure to the baby.

What are the consequences of non-compliance? hygiene rules Oral care? According to dentists, 95% of all oral diseases are caused by negligence in caring for teeth and gums. After all, not everyone can boast that, in addition to toothpaste, they also use mouthwash and floss. And what can I say, many people turn to a dentist for help only when the problem has already made itself felt.

Caries, tartar, periodontitis, gingivitis and stomatitis are just a small list of diseases that can arise as a result of an unscrupulous approach to oral hygiene. Yes, and it’s very unpleasant to see your interlocutor smile with rotten teeth. But the worst thing is that such negligence often leads to tooth loss! And in conclusion, we should remember the words of the well-known washbasin from Korney Chukovsky’s fairy tale “Moidodyr”: “We must, we must brush our teeth in the mornings and evenings!”