One of my university professors used to joke: “time heals everything, except dental cavities!” He was right, but he forgot to specify that tooth decay—besides not healing on its own—shares with periodontitis, peri-implantitis, halitosis and many other oral infections a common factor: poor oral hygiene.
Achieving and maintaining excellent oral hygiene should be the foundation of preventing many diseases of the mouth and teeth, in order to reduce the cost of dental treatments and improve overall health of the entire body, starting with the mouth.
At the dentist
To maintain good oral hygiene, it is essential to visit your dentist regularly. They thoroughly remove stains, plaque and tartar from your teeth using professional instruments and, at the same time, assess the health of the teeth and surrounding tissues.
Professional dental hygiene does not require anaesthesia and is a safe, non-invasive, short and highly predictable treatment. Regular treatment helps keep the mouth in perfect health and therefore plays an essential role in identifying and preventing disorders of the teeth and oral soft tissues.
Good tooth cleaning also helps prevent other problems in cases of systemic diseases (as in periodontal disease), which should not be underestimated at all given the increasing prevalence of conditions such as hypertension or diabetes and the now proven correlation between these and poor oral hygiene.
At home
A good dental hygienist is not only responsible for “cleaning” teeth in the practice, but also—and above all—for instructing each patient on how to care for them at home; this requires creating a personalised oral hygiene plan indicating the tools, techniques and products to use according to individual needs.
Here are the 10 golden rules of oral hygiene:
- Brush your teeth after every meal (two to three times a day). If you cannot do otherwise, flossing or brushing can be reduced to once a day. If you wear orthodontic appliances, a fixed prosthesis or an implant, be sure to maintain a higher frequency.
- Whether manual or electric, always clean and store your toothbrush properly, and do not forget to replace it at least every two months.
- Brush the front and back teeth, the outer and inner surfaces equally. About 2 minutes for all teeth.
- Use a fluoride toothpaste.
- Buy soft-bristled toothbrushes.
- Use dental floss. It should be inserted only once and gently between the teeth, not with a sawing motion, otherwise you risk damaging the gums.
- Brush your tongue from back to front to remove food debris and the bacteria responsible for bad breath.
- Do not use mouthwashes containing alcohol or disinfectants regularly; they lead to a significant loss of diversity in the oral microbiome, as well as acidification of saliva, which can lead to tooth demineralisation.
- Limit consumption of coffee, liquorice, particularly colourful vegetables or red wine, which can stain tooth enamel over time.
- More generally, avoid acidic foods or foods high in sugar, which promote bacterial growth.
In summary: a few simple habits are enough for a perfect smile.
But it all starts with prevention! Call our practice and we will be happy to help you find the professional oral hygiene treatment that is right for you!
