09 Nov Oral Hygiene At Home For Adults

It’s important to maintain a good oral hygiene routine at home, to help ensure that your mouth is clean, healthy and disease free. Good oral hygiene at home as well as regular dental examinations help reduce the risk of issues such as bad breath, decay, bleeding gums and infection. If these problems are left they can lead to further, more advanced problems such as periodontal disease (commonly known as ‘gum disease’) and tooth loss.

What should my daily routine be at home?
At home you should be brushing your teeth twice a day with a 1450ppm fluoride toothpaste (for adults, for children see our blog on oral health care for children) morning and night, for a minimum of two minutes.

You can use a antibacterial mouthwash,  however it is important not to use mouthwash straight after brushing, as the fluoride in your toothpaste must stay on your teeth for a minimum of 30 minutes to work to its full advantage and the mouthwash will wash the fluoride away. Use mouthwash before brushing or at a different time throughout the day.

Using interdental cleaning aids such as tape floss, flossettes or interdental brushes is equally as important as brushing, to ensure areas inbetween teeth are not missed. This should be done at least once a day and helps to prevent plaque build up, bleeding gums and interproximal (in between) decay.

Manual vs electric toothbrush
Manual and electric toothbrushes are both adequate methods of cleaning, nevertheless Oral B claim electric toothbrushes remove 100% more plaque than a manual toothbrush.  Electric toothbrushes are also less technique sensitive doing most of the work for you. That means you  only need to guide it along the surfaces of your teeth and gums. People with arthritis or other similar conditions may find using an electric toothbrush less painful and easier to use more effectively .

Many of these toothbrushes have benefits such as powerful multiple brushing modes, pressure sensors to help reduce gum recession and abrasion cavities, and a two minute timer, helping you to brush for the recommended time.

If you prefer a manual toothbrush just ensure you use a soft to medium bristled brush in a gentle but thorough circular motion, at a 45 degree angle ensuring the gumline is not missed.

It is advised to change your toothbrush or your toothbrush head every 3 months.

Maintaining excellent oral hygiene at home means hopefully you only need to see us for routine check ups and maintenance and are problem and pain free! Should you wish to learn any more helpful hints and tips for excellent oral hygiene, book an appointment with our in house oral health educator Kirsty who will be happy to help you on your way to excellent oral health

For any questions regarding oral health please call us on 01623 629359.