Oral health is considered a window to your overall health and wellness. Your teeth play a crucial role in speech and mastication, in addition to enhancing your facial aesthetics. A beautiful smile boosts your confidence and influences your social lives, careers, and relationships. Thus, it makes sense to give your oral health the best care possible through good oral hygiene aids.
The joint efforts of the dentist in Hollywood, FL, and their team in educating patients about the importance of oral health and different hygiene aids can help in reforming your oral health.
An introduction to oral hygiene aids
Oral hygiene aids are special dental tools that help to keep your teeth and gums clean. This facilitates the elimination of plaque and bacteria and prevents the onset of dental problems like tooth decay, halitosis (bad breath), and gum disease.
The importance of maintaining good oral hygiene
Plaque is a thin, sticky film that adheres to your tooth surface. Excess plaque accumulation can create a favorable environment for bacterial infiltration. This leads to an inflammatory response in your body, negatively impacting your immune system. Your mouth is an entry point for acquiring several diseases that may eventually affect your systemic health. However, this can be prevented through a proper oral hygiene regime.
What are the types of oral hygiene aids?
There are several types of oral hygiene aids, such as:
- Toothbrushes
Soft-bristled toothbrushes are important aids that eliminate plaque and bacteria. Currently, electric toothbrushes are recommended by dentists since they offer more precision and dexterity benefits than manual brushes. The vibrating or rotary motions can dislodge the plaque effectively.
- Dental flosses
It is a common interdental (in between teeth) and subgingival (below the gum line) cleaning tool that is made up of nylon or polyethylene.
- Interdental cleaners
These are used in combination with floss to remove the plaque by cleaning the contours of the teeth.
- Mouth rinses
These are low-concentrated chemical solutions that can flush out plaque, reduce bad breath, and prevent caries. These are usually used after brushing and flossing.
- Pocket irrigators
These contain tiny jets that spray water into the pockets to remove plaque from below the gumline and reduce the risk of gum disease.
- Tongue cleaners
These are special tools used to remove plaque and food debris from the tongue surface. Tongue cleaning should be done prior to brushing to prevent ingestion of fungi and bacteria.
- Rubber tip stimulators
These are specialized tools recommended for plaque removal around the gum line, in addition to stimulating blood flow to the gums.
Summary
Establishing good oral hygiene has been proven to achieve and maintain good oral health, which eventually leads to physical and emotional well-being throughout your life. A healthy mouth is considered a great asset.
