- Brushing Teeth is the First Step in Oral Care
Brush your teeth once in the morning after waking up and once before going to bed. This helps effectively remove bacteria from your mouth, prevent plaque buildup, and maintain oral health.
- Brushing Teeth Before Bed is More Important Than in the Morning
Saliva helps wash away bacteria and inhibits bacterial growth. At night, saliva production decreases, and food debris quickly ferments under bacterial action. Without enough saliva to neutralize the acids produced by bacteria, teeth can easily be corroded, leading to cavities. Therefore, brushing before bed and avoiding eating afterward helps maintain oral hygiene throughout the night.
- Start Brushing Teeth as Soon as the First Tooth Appears
When your baby’s first tooth comes in, parents should start brushing their child’s teeth. Lay the baby down, wash your hands, and use a finger brush or gauze to gently clean the teeth with lukewarm water. At 1 year old, you can start practicing with a small, soft-bristled toothbrush. At 1.5 years, when baby molars begin to emerge, a toothbrush becomes necessary as gauze can no longer effectively clean the grooves. Between 2 to 3 years, children can start learning to brush their own teeth.
- Using Fluoride Toothpaste Can Effectively Prevent Cavities
A pea-sized amount of toothpaste is enough each time. However, when children are just learning to brush, it's better to use fluoride-free children's toothpaste to avoid accidental swallowing. Once they can rinse properly, you can switch to fluoride toothpaste for kids to help remove plaque.
- Brushing Techniques for Children
Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and place the bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Brush gently with small, horizontal back-and-forth motions, then brush along the gum line. You can also use circular motions on the tooth surfaces in a systematic way to ensure all areas are cleaned.
- Brushing Techniques for Adults
The Bass brushing technique is widely recognized. To follow it, place the toothbrush bristles at a 45-degree angle to the gum line, with part of the bristles entering the gum line and the rest covering the edge of the gums. Gently vibrate the brush in small movements for about 10 short strokes (about 1mm of movement). Move the brush to the next group of teeth and ensure all teeth are brushed. For the chewing surfaces, use a back-and-forth motion, and hold the brush vertically to clean the front surfaces.
- Brushing Time and Replacing Your Toothbrush
A proper brushing session should take 2-3 minutes. Toothbrushes should be replaced every 3 months. If you notice the bristles are worn, frayed, or discolored, replace your toothbrush immediately.
- Using Dental Floss is Encouraged
Brushing removes about 85% of plaque from the tooth surface, but it can't clean between the teeth. Dental floss is the best way to remove plaque from between teeth. Most people only need to floss once a day, preferably after dinner before bedtime. After using floss, rinse your mouth to remove the loosened debris.
- Rinse Your Mouth After Eating
After each meal, especially after eating sweet foods, rinse your mouth with water to remove food particles that can damage your teeth. After a baby drinks milk, offer them a few sips of water to help clean their mouth and protect their teeth.
- Using Mouthwash is Encouraged
Plain water is not very effective in removing plaque, while mouthwash can mechanically clean the mouth and, as a vehicle for antibacterial agents, can reach all areas of the mouth, helping to control plaque buildup and maintain oral health.
- Use Toothpicks Cautiously
Toothpicks are mainly used for people with receding gums or wide tooth gaps. Choose good-quality toothpicks that are oval or triangular in cross-section and hard to break. Be gentle when using toothpicks to avoid damaging your gums.
- Chewing Sugar-Free Gum Can Reduce Oral Acidity
Sugar-free gum helps remove food particles, stimulates saliva production, neutralizes acids, reduces plaque, and inhibits cavity-causing bacteria, thus providing some protection against cavities. The ideal chewing time for sugar-free gum is around 20 minutes.
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