Why Care about Dental Hygiene and Prophylaxis?
Oral hygiene is very important for your health. The state of teeth depends on how much attention you pay to taking care of them. It plays up to 85-95% of the role in overall dental health. Correctly performed regular cleanings are a good preventative measure for various dental diseases.
The most important role in the development of cavities belongs to bad oral hygiene. The creation of plaque on the teeth is followed by the creation of microbial plaque which gives rise to dental cavities.
Long-lasting plaque is converted into tartar. Therefore, a nasty odor is not eliminated even after cleaning the teeth, the gums become inflamed and frequently bleed. Often, the stone is formed in the interdental spaces and at the gum border. This brings to the development of dental caries because under such deposits the tooth enamel changes. Subsequently, bacteria easily propagate on this nutrient substrate. To get a dental checkup done by the professional dentist Glendale expert Dr. Sahakyan at Smile Makeover of LA call 1-818-578-2324 or contact us to schedule an appointment today.
The recent reports on oral hygiene demonstrate unpleasant facts:
- Almost half of the patients brush their teeth instead of the recommended two minutes, they brush only for 45 seconds.
- 72% of the patients have dental plaque.
- 73% of the patients have dental tartar.
Why do You Need Oral Care?
Oral care is needed for you to prevent caries, prevent early loss of teeth, and avoid bad breath. If hygienic measures are carried out inefficiently or not regularly, the plaque remains on the teeth, and food remains accumulate in the interdental spaces. This gives your teeth an untidy look.
In the mouth multiplying bacteria can form chronic infections. This sometimes leads to infectious and inflammatory diseases in various organs. Scientists have counted more than 70 diseases in a person, such as rheumatism, cardiovascular diseases, nervous disorders, digestive system diseases, diseases of the skin, and diseases of the kidney, which can be caused by bacteria living in the oral cavity. So, dental hygiene is important not only to preserve external appeal but also to preserve your overall health. Oral hygiene includes all the processes for keeping the mouth clean and healthy. Oral hygiene is necessary for the preclusion of dental periodontal diseases, bad breath, and caries.
What can Oral HygienePrevent?
- Dental caries
- Gingivitis
- Periodontitis
- Halitosis
Dental Hygiene and Prophylaxis of Teeth
Hygiene and prophylaxis of teeth are important conditions for preventing the most serious diseases of the oral cavity – caries, and periodontitis. The easiest hygiene products for oral care, toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss are known to everyone. The elementary cleaning of teeth is very important.
Hygiene and prevention in dentistry are divided into two main types:
- necessary prophylactic and hygienic measures at home that are financially available for everyone,
- professional hygiene and oral health.
Professional Oral Hygiene
Professional oral hygiene is useful to everyone from an early age. If you do not have dental or gum diseases, the first thing you can do to care for your teeth is to do a professional hygienic cleaning.
Even with careful daily care, the surface of teeth remains 30-40% of the resulting plaque. Therefore it is desirable to undergo twice a year the procedure of professional cleaning of teeth from plaque and tartar.
Professional hygiene includes the diagnosis of existing dental problems and the subsequent phased cleaning of plaque, tartar, and stone. If necessary, local anesthesia is used.
Professional Dental Hygiene Consists of a Wide Range of Processing:
- Removal of subgingival and supragingival dental deposits;
- Ultrasound cleaning of teeth
- Polishing and grinding of teeth;
- Treatment of dental tissues.
The instrumental method is widely used in the presence of periodontal pockets, to remove subgingival dental deposits. Dental deposits are removed by scraping from the surface of the teeth.
Ultrasound removes soft and hard deposits from the visible surfaces of the teeth and from the spaces between them. The enamel is not damaged, for the plaque and stone seem to peel from it. At the next stage, subgingival spaces are processed. To do this, dentist Glendale uses special hand tools that do not damage the teeth and when properly applied do not injure the gums.
Air-flow – the method consists of the directed supply of a jet of an aerosol containing water and an abrasive. This method allows you to entirely remove the obtained plaque from tea, coffee, cigarettes, etc., from hard-to-get places, such as :
- the lingual surface of the lower molars,
- chewing surface molars,
- cheek surface of molars of the upper jaw,
- interdental spaces.
Polishing of Tooth
After removing the dental stone, it is necessary to polish the enamel, which will protect it from attaching bacteria and depositing plaque.
In the process of executing this procedure, special polishing brushes and pastes are used. Then, the teeth are covered with fluorine-containing preparations, which make the enamel less sensitive and more durable.
After executing professional oral, the teeth become lighter 1-2 tones, more smooth, and shinier.
Main steps for maintaining oral hygiene:
- Toothbrushes (at least twice a day)
- Teeth Flossing
- Proper diet
- Rinsing
- Regular dental examinations
Toothbrushes
The toothbrush is selected individually. When buying it, you need to consider the stiffness of the bristles. Soft bristles are required to clean sensitive teeth and bleeding gums, and a stiff toothbrush is perfect for healthy teeth and cares for the prosthesis.
Brush your teeth twice a day for about 2 minutes with circular or elliptical movements, holding the toothbrush at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the gums. So you better clean the gum line. When cleaning the inner surfaces of the front teeth, hold the brush vertically, making small circular movements. This will help you eliminate bacterial plaque from the gingival pocket. If you brush too hard, this can cause gum recession. Do not forget to change your brush every 3 months as dentist Glendale expert Dr. Sahakyan recommends.
Means for Cleaning the Tongue
Cleaning the tongue of the plaque helps maintain cleanliness in the oral cavity. To do this, you can use toothbrushes with a rubber ribbed surface or buy a special tongue-cleaning tool.
Floss Your Teeth Regularly
Flossing removes plaque from between your teeth that brushing misses. Flossing helps to preclude periodontal disease by removing plaque. Floss choice should be tailored to individual characteristics, focusing on the distance between adjacent teeth.
Rinsers for the Oral Cavity
Regular rinses with a good mouthwash help to keep your mouth clean, fresh and germ-free. The rinse aid should be used at least twice a day for 30 seconds. Daily rinses must be alcohol-free.
With the regular use of this liquid oral hygiene product and additional cleaning of the teeth, you will have better protection from caries and other dental and gum diseases. Mouthwash decreases the concentration of microorganisms, the enamel gets additional protection from caries, the risk of inflammation and bleeding of the gums decreases, and an unpleasant odor from the mouth gets eliminated.
Fluoride rinses help to boost the strength of newly erupted teeth. Dr. Sahakyan recommends his Glendale patients try different mouthwash tastes, to increase the likelihood of regularly using it.
Proper Eating Habits and Diet
Improper diet can lead to the development of gum disease and dental caries. Foods high in carbohydrates, sugars, and starch significantly increase the level of acid in dental plaque eroding tooth enamel. In the end, these acids destroy the enamel of the tooth, forming a carious cavity.
At the same time, the diet should contain solid natural components: raw fruits and vegetables, which when chewing, to a large extent, contribute to the cleaning of your teeth.
Smoking should be eliminated from your habits. It increases the development of dental plaque and tartar, which are some of the main causes of tooth and gum diseases.
Regular Dental Examinations
Oral hygiene should be a joint effort between you and your dentist.
The dentist will find and prevent any problem before it becomes dangerous for you.
A regular dental examination is the main part of the dental hygiene routine for both young and old patients. Dentist Glendale, Dr. Sahakyan likes to see the patients for a regular dental checkup at least twice a year. Contact us or call 1-818-578-2324 for an appointment to see how Smile Makeover of LA can help you.