This is the best way to take care of your oral health.
Proper oral hygiene is not what dentists perform every six months, but what each one of us follows at home every six hours!
Clean your teeth well at every meal. This is useful, in that it allows to:
- prevent aesthetic and functional problems
- possibly prevent some psychological and social relations issues
- save time (and money) on dental care
Washing does not necessarily mean cleaning… We always advise parents to check how the children have washed their teeth and double check whether their teeth are clean.
We will help you learn to recognize teeth that need to be “brushed again” and to use the most effective procedures to clean them.
Our task is to motivate patients, personalizing the most effective oral hygiene techniques and procedures tailored on each. Our prevention programs are aimed not only at maintaining oral health and orthodontic treatment results, but also at recognizing potential problems and “nip them in the bud”.
- Do not have frequent meals if you cannot clean your teeth
- Do not eat foods that are high in sugar, or markedly acidic, and avoid carbonated drinks
- NEVER go to sleep without cleaning your teeth first
- Drastically reduce the intake of sugary foods and drinks
- Drink water after meals to dilute the action of acids and to help eliminate food residues.
- Clean your teeth after every meal and use dental floss at least once a day.
- Brush your teeth for at least 2 minutes and replace the toothbrush every 8-12 weeks.
- Parents should not only check that their children brush their teeth after every meal, but help them in cleaning them effectively at least once a day.
Brushing your teeth after every meal is one of the best investments you can make.
At what age should we start caring about oral hygiene? When the first tooth begins to erupt, at around 5-6 months of age, parents can start using a wet gauze to clean teeth, gums and tongue. From the age of twelve months onwards parents can start using a toothbrush for newborns with soft bristles, wet in warm water. It is important that parents clean their children’s teeth until they have reached the autonomy to do it themselves.
Why is oral hygiene so important at an early age? The health of milk teeth has a direct consequence on later health, on the alignment and eruption of permanent teeth. Milk teeth have a more fragile enamel than permanent teeth, hence they tend to get more easily damaged. Prevention is the best tool to keep them healthy.
Electric or manual toothbrush? Both toothbrushes when used correctly are effective in cleaning teeth. The manual toothbrush must be small and requires more precise manual use. We recommend using the electric toothbrush at home and the manual toothbrush at school or in the office. In any case, it is better to choose medium or soft bristles with a small head suitable for the individual’s mouth.
Which toothbrush should I choose during orthodontic treatment? We recommend using the electric toothbrush with a round and specific head for fixed orthodontic appliances. However, if you do not have the possibility to use the electric toothbrush, a valid alternative is the manual toothbrush with an orthodontic head.
Is it better to use a fluoride toothpaste during orthodontic treatment? Fluorine has been shown to be particularly effective in preventing the onset of cavities, its preventive action is related to its concentration. For patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with fixed and / or removable appliances, we recommend the use of a fluoride toothpaste. After brushing your teeth it is best to leave the toothpaste on the tooth surfaces for 2-3 minutes and then rinse. It is even better to use a fluoride mouthwash which should be left in contact with the teeth for 3-5 minutes. If there is a specific risk of enamel demineralization, we can recommend specific procedures and products.
Why use dental floss? The interdental papillae make the space between two neighboring teeth generally inaccessible to toothbrushes. The American Dental Association reports that dental floss can remove up to 80% of plaque in the space between the teeth, hence flossing at least once a day proves essential.
At what age do you start using dental floss? Cavities developing between two neighboring teeth, especially in deciduous dentition, causes a reduction of space in the dental arch, thereby creating conditions for crowding. It has been shown that starting to use dental floss at 6-7 years of age at least once a day, with the help of an adult and whilst using fluoride toothpaste, reduces the onset of inter-proximal cavities by up to 37% .
How many times a day do you have to clean your teeth? Teeth should be cleaned after every meal, but it is best to wait 30 minutes before using the toothbrush, especially after eating acidic foods.
Why is it better not to clean your teeth immediately after eating? Using a toothbrush, immediately after eating acidic foods or drinking fizzy drinks can damage tooth enamel. The acidic environment of the oral cavity immediately after meals makes the enamel temporarily weaker than the action of the toothbrush.
What about cleaning teeth in front of the mirror? Looking in the mirror while using a toothbrush and dental floss allows you to use both correctly, reaching difficult points inside the mouth.
