home All hormones After oral and dental hygiene. Professional oral hygiene. Dental hygienist. Personal oral hygiene products. Removal of hard build-up

After oral and dental hygiene. Professional oral hygiene. Dental hygienist. Personal oral hygiene products. Removal of hard build-up

Oral hygiene is a complex of hygiene procedures: individual and professional cleaning of the dentition, gum pockets and tongue. Cleaning is done at home or in a dental clinic by a professional hygienist.

Professional oral hygiene is carried out twice a year to clean numerous interdental areas, remove plaque, restore enamel color and other work that is difficult to perform at home.

It is necessary to carry out individual hygiene procedures twice a day after meals. The most important is the evening procedure carried out immediately before bedtime: plaque accumulated during the day can contribute to the growth of bacteria, the formation of caries and gum pathology.

Methodology for assessing the hygienic condition

To determine the degree of contamination, a test is used with special dyes and an enamel test scale for the oral hygiene index.

The degree of contamination is determined by the saturation of the color range of the dye, which is applied to the enamel layer, staining the frontal, medial, vestibular and occlusal surfaces. The quality of the index score is measured in points according to the intensity of staining of the areas of each individual tooth:

Important!"Each dental clinic uses its own methods for determining the index of contamination of the enamel, using special solutions and a scale for measuring plaque deposits."

Hygiene criteria

The oral cavity is filled with microorganisms involved in the primary breakdown of food, the preservation of enamel and the maintenance of the general state of the microflora of the body. In advanced cases, the microflora is filled with pathogenic bacteria that destroy the enamel and deform the gum tissue.

Important!“Problem areas for cleaning from plaque deposits are: the inner surface of the dentition; internal occlusal part of the lower molars; external medial-buccal side of the molars.

The main hygiene products

In order to thoroughly carry out daily procedures for cleansing deposits, oral hygiene products are needed, the main cleaning accessories include:

Toothbrush- the basis of any hygienic process, it can be used for a maximum of two months, then it must be changed.

Toothpaste- it will be optimal to use a product with a high content of fluorine and potassium to mineralize and strengthen the enamel coating.

Professional hygiene procedure

Professional oral hygiene by a dental hygienist will help to completely get rid of plaque deposits.

Why is oral hygiene so important in dentistry, what is included in the mandatory procedures, and why is professional help in cleaning teeth necessary?

Firstly, it is difficult to remove accumulations of soft plaque without professional help; over time, it tends to compact into tartar, which is not possible to remove on your own.

Secondly: hard plaque spoils not only the appearance, but also promotes the growth of bacteria, which leads to the formation of caries, periodontitis and many other diseases.

Professional oral hygiene differs in the type of appointment and instrumental equipment used in the procedure. Before starting any operation, the dental hygienist rinses the patient's mouth with an antiseptic solution and, if careful surface treatment is to be performed, uses anesthetics that treat the gum tissue using a spray, gel or injection.

Soft surface cleaning

Oral hygiene cleaners for soft plaque:

For this cleaning, nozzles with hard brushes, specialized pastes and gels with a high content of abrasive particles are used.

The brushes rotate in a circle at a sufficient speed, and this method effectively cleans soft dental plaques.

Mechanical cleaning using a scaler or Air-Flow apparatus.

In the process of cleaning with the use of the Air-Flow ultrasonic device, a nozzle is used, which, under strong pressure, directs a stream of air with a special solution and small abrasive particles onto the tooth surface.

As it hits the surface, the antiseptic solution washes away and carries away dirt and plaque particles. The air stream promotes removal of the remains of abrasive substances.

Thus, the enamel layer, mucous membrane and gum pockets are cleaned from soft bacterial plaque.

Removal of hard build-up

Previously, hard stone removal procedures were performed by peeling and chipping tartar using special dental instruments, such an operation damaged the enamel and provoked the occurrence of microcracks and chips.
Currently, safe and effective oral hygiene products are used, these include:

ultrasonic cleaning

This is by far the most popular cleaning, it effectively removes stony deposits and other pathological formations on the enamel, in the interdental spaces, under the gums, in periodontal pockets.

Cleaning is carried out using a scaler and an Air-Flow jet apparatus using special nozzles for hard deposits. After cleaning, the enamel is ground and polished.

Laser hygienic cleaning

This method copes with stone deposits of different density and size, the laser removes both the old fossilized plaque in the gum pockets and the surface shell formed as a result of smoking or eating foods with coloring elements.

At the end of the procedure, the enamel is covered with dental varnish or gel, which reduces sensitivity and protects against pathogenic microflora.

Laser cleaning is a more gentle procedure than ultrasound, one of its advantages is that it is absolutely painless and therefore does not require prior anesthesia.

Any dental clinic provides professional teeth cleaning services, carried out by laser and ultrasound equipment, which are the most optimal today.

Important!“To remove deposits, it is necessary to perform as many cleaning sessions as the contaminated surface requires. As a rule, for a more effective result, combined types of cleanings are used.

Benefits of professional cleaning

Professional cleaning is a mandatory pretreatment of the mouth before any dental surgery. Cleaning is necessary for the following reasons:

when plaque is removed, the process of tissue enrichment with minerals and microelements is accelerated, which has a beneficial effect not only on the crown, but also on the root part, alveolar areas and periodontium;
clean enamel without stone deposits allows for a more thorough diagnosis, checking the exact shade of the enamel, detecting micro-chips and microcracks, and detecting caries in the stain stage.

Before prosthetics and restoration, it is necessary to carry out professional cleaning, only in this case, optimal correction of the tooth structure is possible.

Important!“Dental cleaning and checking for any deformities is necessary every six months, in which case it is likely to prevent any diseases of the teeth, gums and mucous membranes.”

Self-cleaning of dental surfaces

To maintain the oral cavity in optimal hygienic condition, it is necessary to follow the basic rules of hygiene: use specially selected pastes and brushes and brush your teeth daily with the obligatory observance of the correct range of motion.

Basic Rules

To clean the dentition start from the lingual side, then the vestibular part of the enamel is covered, and only after that the tops of the crowns are cleaned.

With internal and external manipulations, the brush is set at an inclination of 45 degrees from the surface and moves smoothly from the root to the top. Each tooth must be brushed separately at least 10 times.

Cleansing begins with the upper molars, brushing with wave-like movements and gradually moving it to the molars, and this is repeated several times, the same procedure is performed in the opposite direction (from the molars to the front) to strengthen the result.

The inside requires especially thorough cleaning. It is necessary to clean in identical circular motions in the direction from the root to the top and from the anterior to the molars, carefully cleaning the inside of the incisors.

For thorough treatment, you can use an irrigator, it cleans the cavity of food debris, prevents the formation of plaque, prevents the formation of caries and gingivitis, and prevents the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

Hygienic tongue cleaning

Hygiene procedures include the obligatory cleansing of the tongue. During the cleaning process, pathogenic mucus, plaque, and food debris are removed from the surface of the tongue.

The tongue contains a large number of papillae and cavities, which are filled with microscopic remnants of food. As a result, the tongue becomes a source of reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms - through saliva, bacteria enter the surface of the enamel, gum tissue and into the gastrointestinal tract.

What is proper oral hygiene?
By following the rules of oral hygiene, the mouth looks healthy, and the breath is fresh and pleasant. It means that:

Teeth look clean and free of tartar
Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when brushing or flossing
Bad breath is not a permanent problem.

If your gums hurt and bleed while brushing or flossing, and if your mouth smells bad, see your dentist. These symptoms may be a sign of a disease.

Your dentist or dental hygienist will help you learn how to maintain proper oral hygiene and point out areas of your mouth that require special attention when brushing and flossing.

What are the methods for maintaining proper oral hygiene?
The most important condition for healthy teeth and gums is maintaining proper oral hygiene. Healthy teeth are not just a component of an attractive appearance and good health. It is also a guarantee of good nutrition and intelligible speech. The health of your body as a whole largely depends on the state of the oral cavity.

Daily prophylaxis, including proper brushing and flossing, can prevent the development of oral disease, and these procedures are less painful, costly and problematic than treating lesions that could be stopped at an early stage.

Between regular visits to the dentist, each of us should follow simple recommendations that significantly reduce the risk of developing caries, periodontitis and other oral diseases. These include:

Brush twice a day with a toothbrush and clean the interdental spaces daily with dental floss
Eat a balanced diet by limiting intermediate snacks between main meals
Use oral care products that contain fluoride, including fluoride toothpaste
Rinse your mouth with fluoride rinses as recommended by your dentist.
If you live in an area where the water is not fluoridated, make sure your child under 12 years of age consumes fluoride-fortified water or a fluoride supplement.

How to Use Dental Floss Properly

Take a piece of floss about 45 cm long and use a clean section of 3-5 cm each time to clean the tooth.	Clean the interdental spaces with gentle movements, following the contours of the gums.	Remember to clean the surface of the teeth below the gum line, while avoiding sudden flossing movements.

The health of our teeth and gums is directly dependent on proper oral hygiene. The value of daily hygiene procedures is difficult to overestimate, but it is often easy to underestimate and pay with the loss of teeth even at a young age. So the statement of dentists that one of the most effective and at the same time simple ways to prevent dental diseases is the correct and regular hygiene of the teeth and oral cavity in children and adults is more relevant than ever. We should not forget that hygiene procedures should not be limited to just brushing your teeth at home.

Preventive oral hygiene is a complex event that includes daily brushing of teeth and a visit to the hygienist at least once a year. The fact is that in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums, it is necessary to remove dental deposits, as well as thick plaque on the tongue, in a timely and high-quality manner. Food debris and soft plaque can be removed with a toothbrush and toothpaste. But the removal of tartar (mineralized dental deposits) is performed by a dentist using special tools and tools, for example, Air Flow. In this regard, comprehensive oral care includes individual and professional hygiene.

Individual oral hygiene

Personal oral hygiene is most effective if you follow certain rules about how exactly you should brush your teeth. As you know, there are many ways - each of them is correct and complete, it all depends on our personal preferences. But still, it is advisable to listen to the following recommendations of dentists:

always start brushing your teeth with the same dentition;
follow a certain sequence of brushing your teeth so as not to miss any area;
Cleaning should be carried out at the same pace in order to withstand the required duration of cleansing.

Of course, you need to pay attention to the technique of brushing your teeth. If, for example, you brush your teeth across the dentition, then the enamel will wear off over time. Therefore, individual oral hygiene must be carried out with observance of the technique of brushing your teeth (even circular movements cannot be made - they must be perfectly round). And in our performance, they are rather oval. Therefore, due to non-compliance with this important rule, enamel by about 35 years old is badly damaged, if not completely erased. However, if you are using an ultrasonic brush, all of the above is not relevant to you. In addition, do not forget that cleaning the tongue with special scrapers is a necessary component of oral hygiene.

Oral hygiene products

Oral hygiene products are a kind of multicomponent system, which includes a variety of natural and synthetic substances intended for both preventive and therapeutic effects on the oral cavity as a whole.

The main means of individual oral hygiene:

toothpastes, gels, tooth powders;
toothbrushes;
chewing gum (therapeutic and prophylactic).

Toothpastes are recommended to choose depending on the presence of certain problems or specific tasks. If you have had dental implants, then the best choice would be toothpaste for implants. To lighten the surface of the enamel, you should pay attention to whitening pastes. But to strengthen the teeth, restorative products are suitable, for example, Theodent toothpaste with theobromine or Swiss Smile Crystal.

There are also additional oral hygiene products. These include:

flosses (dental floss), toothpicks;
oral irrigators (before choosing the best irrigator, be sure to study the main characteristics of the models);
tongue cleaners: scrapers, scraper brushes;
mouth rinses, mouth deodorants, teeth whiteners;
denture treatment powders/denture treatment tablets;
foam for oral hygiene (the foam dissolves plaque well and is indispensable where it is not possible to use standard oral hygiene products, it is enough to hold the foam in your mouth for 20-30 seconds and spit).

The unique, multifunctional device JETPIK JP200-Elite combines an electric sonic toothbrush, irrigator and dental floss. The accessories and the device itself are stored in a convenient plastic container, which is ideal for travel or storage in a small bathroom.

Oral hygiene is important not only as a prevention of caries, but also for free comfortable communication with others. Plaque-yellow teeth and bad breath won't make anyone attractive. Such aesthetic dentistry procedures as veneers and expensive laser teeth whitening will not make sense without basic hygiene procedures.

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

Assessment of the state of the mouth at the dentist

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

The index is determined for each element in the oral cavity. The rating scale looks like this:

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

It is possible to effectively clean the oral cavity from plaque and food debris only when using a complex of hygiene products. The list of care equipment includes several types of toothpaste, 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 the constant rotation of a disc with bristles under the influence of an electric current. The replacement of an electric brush is carried out as often as a regular one - 1 time in 2-3 months

There are two main types of products - a simple and an electric brush. Devices also differ in the level of bristle stiffness. With bleeding gums and sensitivity of the enamel, it is recommended to use brushes with soft bristles. In addition to them, dental floss and irrigators are necessarily used, because such products cannot qualitatively remove all plaque from the teeth. If a person does not have dental diseases, then it is better for him to use brushes with a bristle of medium hardness. The choice of an oral care appliance largely depends on the structure of the human jaw and the condition of the teeth.

Features of the selection of an irrigator

The irrigator is designed to remove food particles from hard-to-reach areas that cannot be worked through with a conventional or electric toothbrush. Hygienic care is carried out by 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.

The smaller size has a portable irrigator. It works in the same way as an electric brush - from batteries. The device can be taken with you on the road and used at home. The stationary irrigator is large 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:

for the prevention of caries and inflammation of the gums, any type of irrigator is used;
to combat pathologies, devices are used into which special medicines can be poured.

What is included in the irrigator kit? There are several types of nozzles included with the device. They are designed to treat various parts of the oral cavity: gum pockets, lateral and anterior teeth, braces

There are practically no contraindications to the use of the device, but before using it, you should study the instructions. The device is not recommended for use with significant bleeding of the gums and the presence of wounds on the surface of the mucous membranes. If there are doubts about the possibility of using an irrigator, then you should seek the advice of a dentist.

Need to use dental floss or 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 impregnated with 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 the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria due to poor oral hygiene. Pathogenic flora often lives in interdental spaces that are difficult to clean. To prevent carious processes, denticles and brushes are used.

Toothpicks are a thin wooden stick with one pointed end. Use the device carefully so as not to damage the gums and soft tissues

Brushes are different in design from a toothbrush. They consist of a thin metal base on which the villi are fixed.

Rules for choosing toothpaste

In the absence of dental diseases, children and adults are recommended to use preventive pastes. The composition should be changed 1 time in 2 months, so that there is no addiction to the components of the paste.

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

Algorithm for brushing teeth with a regular brush and paste

Proper oral hygiene includes using a toothbrush and toothpaste twice a day. Thus, the surface of the enamel is cleaned 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 front elements and fangs.

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 to the right and left for the front and inner surfaces. Remaining food particles between the teeth are then removed by flossing.

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

cleaning starts from the left corner of the lower jaw towards the front incisors, and then from the central elements they move to the lateral teeth on the right;
cleaning the inner side of the lower jaw is carried out in the direction from right to left;
the upper jaw is worked out in a similar way.

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

Cleaning your mouth with an electric toothbrush

Many patients prefer not simple, but electrical products. They are much more expensive than conventional brushes, but, as practice shows, they do not provide noticeable advantages in oral hygiene in adults.

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

Rules for using floss

Flat products are more suitable for processing the interdental space between densely standing elements. The thread slides due to the action of saliva and special impregnating compounds.

Floss should be used in accordance with the recommendations for oral hygiene:

a small piece of tape up to 30-40 cm long is torn off and fixed on the first phalanx of the middle finger;
the tape is stretched and placed in the interdental spaces up to the gum;
moving back and forth to push the remnants of food to the cutting edge.

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

Sometimes dental floss comes with 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 provided with Russian-language instructions.

Typically, the product has the following settings:

switching modes of operation;
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 the gums and hard-to-reach areas in the oral cavity. The use of the irrigator is almost always carried out in the bathroom, so before using it, you must make sure that the wires of the device or the battery compartment are well 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 the first time you need to set the water supply to the minimum value. Increase pressure as you get used to it.
First, open areas in the oral cavity are treated - the front teeth, palate, tongue, and then the side elements and the inner surface of the row are processed. Dentists advise patients to mentally divide the jaw into 4 parts and process each of them sequentially.
It is necessary to direct water to the gums with caution, since damage to it threatens with 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 carried out at home. As a result of such cleaning, soft plaque forms on the teeth, which subsequently hardens and turns into tartar. A person cannot 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 surface of the enamel. The impact on the tooth is carried out with the help of vibrations. Ultrasonic technique does not damage the enamel and is highly effective. The method is prohibited for oral hygiene in pregnant women.
Airflow method. With the help of a special device, a soda solution and water are ejected into the patient's oral cavity under pressure. The elements are cleared of plaque, tartar and become lighter by several tones.
Teeth polishing with professional compounds containing zirconium microgranules.
Fluorination. Caps with gel are applied to dry enamel for 1 minute. During this time, the tooth has time to absorb fluorine ions.

An important step in professional teeth cleaning is a consultation with a dentist. The doctor recommends a certain type of oral care products suitable for a particular patient

Hygiene rules for children

The algorithm and rules for brushing teeth in children and adults are not much different. It is necessary to take care of the child's oral cavity from infancy. The gums of babies after each feeding are wiped with a cloth soaked in soda solution or with a fingertip.

Teaching your baby the rules of oral hygiene is necessary after the appearance of milk teeth. For a child, a brush with soft bristles and pastes with a neutral chemical composition are specially purchased. The first procedures should be short - up to 30 seconds. Each time, the duration of cleaning is increased.

Parents should teach the child to squeeze a small amount of paste (no more than a pea) onto the brush. For additional oral hygiene in children, special wipes impregnated with xylitol can be used. The substance destroys pathogenic microorganisms that multiply on the enamel and gums. These wipes are stored in the refrigerator.

Consequences of poor hygiene

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

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

Hard formations cause the gums to detach from the neck of the tooth. Bacteria thrive in periodontal pockets.

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

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

The contingent of dental clinics mainly consists of people who are little educated in oral hygiene. Numerous studies show that most dental patients do not have a complete understanding of the importance of oral hygiene, the principles of daily dental care, the rules for choosing hygiene products and other components of preventive dental culture. The result of low awareness of oral hygiene is the development of numerous dental diseases.

Consequences of improper dental care

Microorganisms multiply in conditions with a favorable temperature regime and in the presence of carbohydrates, therefore The mouth is the site of the greatest accumulation of bacteria. Their constant impact on tooth enamel can destroy the tooth and cause diseases such as:

caries and pulpitis. Symptoms of such pathologies are expressed in painful sensations in the area of the teeth and gums. With caries, pain occurs as a reaction to external stimuli, with pulpitis - spontaneously.
periodontitis and gingivitis. Most often, the etiology of such diseases is explained by neglected caries or pulpitis. Symptomatic pathologies are manifested by bleeding and inflammation of the gums, loosening of the teeth and their partial edentulism (loss).
Stomatitis is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth, in which sores with pus, spots or extensive foci of redness form on the gums, cheeks, palate or tongue. The mucous membranes of the tongue and cheeks are covered with a characteristic plaque, the gums swell and bleed.
Glossitis is an inflammation of the tongue that occurs as a result of stomatitis. It is manifested by burning, coloring and pigmentation, uncharacteristic for the tongue, hypersalivation.
Halitosis, which is due to the pathological growth of anaerobic bacteria. Pathology is expressed by an unpleasant smell from the mouth.

An indifferent attitude to the state of the oral cavity is fraught with the development of diseases of the stomach, heart, endocrine, nervous system and other complications. To treat dental and general diseases that have arisen, you will have to undergo a complex and expensive therapeutic course, which can be avoided by following the simplest basic rules of oral hygiene.

Principles of oral hygiene and dental care

The concept of hygiene is laid from early childhood on the example of parental sanitary behavior. And hygiene habits are formed in accordance with knowledge about the daily routine, diet, and the technique of carrying out therapeutic and preventive measures. Therefore, it is necessary to teach the child the elementary rules of hygiene from infancy.

Most patients with dental pathologies believe that brushing the surface of the teeth twice a day is a sufficient measure to prevent caries and other diseases. However, the daily procedure for cleaning the enamel from food debris is one of the components of an extensive oral care system. In addition to it, it is necessary to carry out the following preventive measures:

Rinsing the mouth after eating to remove food debris.
Use of aids: irrigator, tooth powder, floss, brush.
Compliance with the diet. Dentists advise to exclude sweet and sour foods, carbonated drinks from the diet.
Regular visits to the dentist. Starting from the age of one year, monitoring of the oral cavity should be carried out by a specialist at least once every six months.
Professional teeth cleaning.

The basis of proper oral hygiene is a competent approach to the choice of tools for dental care and adherence to the technique of cleaning the tooth surface.

Teeth brushing technique

Carbohydrates in food particles that accumulate in the oral cavity after a meal provoke the growth of pathogenic bacteria and the development of caries, so the removal of food debris is the most important aspect in the prevention of dental diseases. The effectiveness of preventive measures is affected not only by the regularity of hygiene procedures, but also by the quality of brushing your teeth.

Enamel cleaning from plaque should be carried out twice a day and according to the requirements of oral and dental hygiene:

you should brush your teeth both from the outside and the inside, you need to start the procedure from the upper molars;
the toothbrush must be directed from the gum edge to the top of the tooth;
chewing teeth require cleaning with reciprocating movements;
clean the tongue correctly from root to tip, cleaning the inner surface of the cheeks is carried out in a similar way;
removal of food deposits between the teeth is carried out by dental floss;
finish the procedure by rinsing the mouth with a special agent - rinse aid.

The duration of brushing should be no more than 3-5 minutes - 10 seconds for each tooth. A longer procedure can provoke a thinning of the tooth enamel.

Criteria for the selection of basic oral care products

The leading sanitary and hygienic products include toothbrushes, floss, pastes and rinses. Their choice should be made taking into account the structure of the jaw, the sensitivity of the teeth and other individual parameters.

The main criteria for the quality of toothbrushes are:

head design and size. For preschool children, toothbrushes with straight and equal-sized bundles of bristles are selected, the number of bundles usually does not exceed 23. Toothbrushes for adolescents and adults consist of more bundles - from 30, their location and length may be different.
Rigidity of the villi. Toothbrushes with soft bristles are preferable for children under 10 years of age and people suffering from periodontal disease. High hardness bristles are designed for patients with installed dental structures.
Handle length. Preference should be given to brushes with comfortable and non-slip handles. For babies, brushes with long handles are selected, as their parents will clean their teeth.

There are also electric toothbrushes on the market for hygiene products. Their advantage lies in the increased cleaning power, which is achieved through intensive automated movements of the brush head.

The use of an electric brush by young children is not recommended due to their undeveloped brushing skills.

Toothpastes are divided into hygienic and treatment-and-prophylactic. The former have a cleansing effect and freshen the breath. The purpose of the second is the directed fight against diseases of the oral cavity.

Rinses are classified according to their purpose: freshening breath, anti-inflammatory, reducing tooth sensitivity, preventive. In the absence of dental pathologies, it is recommended to use products that eliminate bad breath.

Additional hygiene products

Basic oral care products reduce the likelihood of dental disease, but ideally, additional products should be used. The selection of auxiliary hygiene devices and means should be carried out in accordance with the direction of their action.

To improve the quality of daily hygiene procedures, the following products are produced:

Tooth powders. They serve as an analogue of toothpastes, but they can not be used more than twice a week.
Irrigators are devices whose main functions are cleaning hard-to-reach areas from food debris and hydromassage of the gums.
Toothbrushes. Used to remove plaque under orthopedic structures.
Scrapers. Designed to cleanse the tongue.

Informing about the advantages and disadvantages of a particular hygiene product, the correct methods and the regularity of its use is carried out by a hygienist.

Professional hygiene

The set of activities carried out by a dental hygienist during sanitation (preventive examination) is aimed at analyzing the condition of the teeth and gums, informing the patient about the rules and methods of hygiene procedures, and preventing tartar and caries. Professional oral hygiene includes several stages:

An examination during which the condition of the oral cavity is assessed, a strategy for preventive treatment is being worked out.
Removal of dental deposits. For this purpose, ultrasonic or laser devices are used, which effectively remove plaque from the teeth, interdental space, and gum pockets.
Enamel polishing and grinding. The procedure allows you to slow down the appearance of dental plaque.
Remineralization is the saturation of dental tissues with minerals that help prevent caries and restore tooth sensitivity.
Implantation and whitening are considered as additional components of professional hygiene, the need for which depends on the condition of the teeth.

It is recommended to resort to professional hygiene twice a year, however, for some categories of people (smokers, coffee abusers), more frequent visits to a specialist are recommended - once a quarter. Professional teeth cleaning is an expensive event (from 4 thousand rubles in Moscow), however, irregular visits to a specialist increase the risk of late detection of sluggishly developing dental diseases, the treatment of which can be more expensive than professional dental and oral hygiene.