Brushing teeth is the most important way for patients to maintain their oral health. Since ancient times, the toothbrush has existed in many forms and materials, from wood to plastic, with brushes made of natural or synthetic bristles in varying hardnesses.
Today, the patient can choose from the multitude of toothbrushes on the market, whether manual, electric or sonic.
Whatever form they come in, it is important that they are used.
Statistics from our country show that almost one fifth of Romanians do not brush their teeth even once a day.
The average annual consumption of toothpaste is also low among Romanians.
Therefore, campaigns promoting and supporting rigorous dental hygiene should become more numerous and have a stronger impact on patients.
Brushing teeth in the morning and evening should become a strict habit, from which patients should not deviate under any circumstances.
However, brushing is not always enough to ensure an effective and complete cleaning of the oral cavity.
Most doctors advocate brushing after every meal, as well as using aids such as flossing, mouthwash and mouthwash, all of which help to remove plaque effectively.
The theories that advocate brushing teeth at least twice a day are:
Evening brushing is important because during the night the amount of saliva produced by the gland’s responsible decreases. Without stimuli, saliva is not produced. Therefore, the risk of caries during the night increases.
Brushing reduces the amount of plaque. No matter how much we insist on brushing our teeth, we cannot completely remove plaque. Plaque and tartar deposits can over time cause bleeding gums and inflammation, which, left untreated, progresses to periodontal disease, the most serious consequence of which is tooth loss.
Brushing should be done in two different times, one for each of the two arches, maxillary and mandibular. Brushing is done with the mouth open and the brush at 45 degrees to the gum. The movements are rotary and from the gum towards the tooth. However, this type of brushing does not clean the interproximal surfaces, i.e. the lateral surfaces between the teeth. In this case, we must also use dental floss or mouthwash to complete the brushing and not to replace it.
Brushing is not only for the teeth, as there is also a lot of bacterial build-ups on the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and tongue.
The toothbrush used should have soft bristles and this will need to be changed every three months, perhaps even more often, depending on need.
Brushing teeth is the first step in ensuring the health of the oral cavity.
Regular check-ups by visiting the dentist are crucial in maintaining the balance of the oral cavity and detecting early any factors that may disturb it.
