You should wait 30 minutes after eating to brush your teeth, since many foods have acids such as lemon, tomato, soft drinks, wine, among others. Acids affect the enamel and the friction of the brush or finger cleaner, when the acids are not yet dissolved, worsens the situation.
Clean your teeth with the finger oral cleaner or with a soft brush, do not use hard toothbrushes. Strong brushing hurts your gums and promotes gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) and their retraction. It weakens the support of your teeth and exposes the most vulnerable porous part of the teeth.
Make sure your toothpaste has fluoride. This helps strengthen tooth enamel.
Cleaning time should be at least of 2 minutes, either with finger oral cleaners or by brushing, to make sure you cover all areas.
Do not soak the toothbrush or finger oral cleaner, before or after applying the paste. This practice dilutes the properties of toothpaste, losing its effectiveness.
Clean your tongue well, which usually holds in bacteria that cause plaque and bad breath. Use your toothbrush and/or your finger oral cleaner to clean your tongue from back to front to remove the germs.
Let your toothbrush and/or your finger oral cleaner air out, without putting protectors on it or keeping them in a closed place, as this favours the formation of microorganisms.
Use dental floss and/or interdental brushes to clean the areas where the brush and/or finger cleaner cannot access. Dental floss works for very small spaces, while interdental brushes are more efficient when the space between the teeth is a little larger. Take care to handle them carefully to prevent damaging the gums.
Change your brush or your finger oral cleaner every 3 months. The bristles are curved and do not fulfill their function after this period. On the other hand, if the finger oral cleaner is damaged, it will not fulfil the function for which it was designed.
Use a fluoride mouthwash once a week. Helps eliminate bacteria and microorganisms that attack teeth and cause bad breath, while fluoride strengthens enamel.
Visit your dentist twice a year for a general check-up and dental cleaning. It’s important that your dentist does a professional cleaning to remove tartar and whiten your teeth. Also, ask your dentist to apply fluoride to your teeth twice a year to strengthen the enamel.
If you have bruxism, use a plateto sleep, so your teeth won’t face unnecessary friction and your gums will not be affected either. If you grind your teeth while sleeping, it’s essential that you use a protective plate.
When you notice that your teeth are shifting, visit an orthodontist to take action as soon as possible, maintaining a good smile and a correct bite.
When you feel that your gums are swollen, red and sensitive, visit a periodontist. He is the specialist in caring for and treating the gums, the bone and the structure that works as a support for the teeth.
Do not apply bicarbonate of soda, lemon or other “homemade” remedies on your teeth to whiten them, because they damage the enamel.
Do not use your teeth as a tool to open containers, cut ribbons or other objects. In addition to damaging the enamel, you can cause cracks in your teeth.
Helps the youngest and the oldest in the family to maintain correct dental hygiene.