In short, prevention and dental hygiene is the key to avoid annoying dental treatments and that is why there are some very simple rules of dental maintenance and cleaning to prevent caries and periodontal diseases.
We can compare our mouth to a «reservoir» of bacteria and some species of fungi. This suggests the importance of prevention and dental hygiene to avoid contracting diseases of the oral cavity, to avoid overproducing them and to keep us healthy.
Undoubtedly, the first advantage of proper dental hygiene is the prevention of dental caries, plaque and tartar, and with it the elimination of the damage related to them and of course to general health, a subject to which we have already dedicated a space.
Let’s start then by answering the most common questions that have come to our IMOI clinics in Barcelona and Ibiza from patients seeking to prevent any oral disease.
Who takes care of my dental hygiene and prevention?
Everyone is responsible for proper dental hygiene, with proper and constant brushing; however your IMOI dentist can intervene in a professional manner to achieve the hygiene of your mouth, and do a professional whitening. In addition, it allows timely detection of possible diseases in early stages and provides recommendations for maintenance and hygiene, as this varies from patient to patient.
How is a professional dental care and maintenance session performed?
Good prevention and dental hygiene should be carried out by professionals and can be divided into several phases:
Initially, the IMOI doctor establishes a short interview with the patient, to evaluate his or her cleaning habits, medical history, etc. Once the interview has been conducted, he will proceed to evaluate the oral conditions, detect caries if any and treat them; remove tartar and clean surfaces that cannot be reached with oral hygiene at home and respecting the surrounding delicate periodontal tissues.
You can also use a tool called an air polisher, which combines the action of baking soda, water and air to remove pigmentations on the surface of the teeth, such as stains from coffee, tea, nicotine, etc.
At the end it provides the final polish, and tells you the cleaning method to follow. The duration of the session varies according to the patient’s characteristics.
How often should I have my teeth cleaned?
The frequency should be planned by your own physician once he/she knows your entire oral health history. Generally we talk about twice a year. In other words, once every 6 months.
Most common diseases if we do not have proper dental hygiene
One of the most common and most damaging diseases of the mouth is periodontal disease, commonly called «pyorrhea». periodontal disease commonly called «pyorrhea». If an initial gingivitis is left untreated it can develop into periodontal disease.
Gingivitis is an inflammatory condition of the soft tissues surrounding the tooth. This gingival inflammation, if left untreated, can lead to periodontal disease which, in addition to the soft tissues, attacks the supporting structures of the tooth such as the periodontal ligament and the alveolar bone. In the absence of proper hygiene and treatment it can progress to tooth loss.
The main triggers of periodontal disease are the presence of bacterial plaque and calculus. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate these two factors through the sessions that we explained above where the tartar removal session is performed.
Dental Prevention: Oral Care
Improving oral care techniques at home is of great importance for the prevention and treatment of periodontal disease. At Imoi clinics, we provide the correct instructions for the patient to maintain oral hygiene at home.
Basic rules for home dental care:
- Brush your teeth after every meal
- Brush teeth for at least 3 minutes.
- Flossing once a day
When it comes to toothbrushing, the question many patients ask today is: Is an electric toothbrush better than a manual toothbrush? The electric toothbrush could be better than the manual one but it is neither necessary nor indispensable.
Correct use of the electric toothbrush for good oral hygiene:
- Moisten the bristles
- Place the bristles on each of the three surfaces of the tooth.
- Stand still on the surface for 3.2 seconds and light contact with the gum.
- Move to the next tooth.
Correct use of the manual toothbrush
- Moisten the bristles
- Place the bristles at 45 degrees to the gum in contact with the tooth.
- Rotate the bristles in a circular motion over the teeth.
- Avoid horizontal movements as they do not guarantee the elimination of bacteria, but can irreversibly damage the gums and in some cases even the tooth enamel.
- Brush for about 3 minutes
There are manual toothbrushes with bristles: extra soft, soft, medium, hard. Soft, medium, and extra soft bristles: recommended especially for those with gingival recession caused by improper brushing.
Hard bristles: it is quite aggressive on the gums and is recommended only for cleaning removable dentures.
Change your toothbrush every 3-4 months.
Interdental cleaning areas
Cleaning the spaces between the teeth is very important. Most gum disease begins in this area. The use of dental floss is recommended. We also recommend that you visit any of our IMOI clinics if you need advice on how to make use of this dental cleaning resource, our doctors are always willing to explain in detail the cleaning process that you should have both with brushing and with the use of dental floss.
Remember that prevention is the basis for avoiding oral and other diseases, do not throw away all the alternatives that are currently available to you in terms of dental care.
Our mouth is a reflection of our personality and our personal care, but also of our overall health, so let’s give it the attention and care it deserves. Investing in our health is always the best option.
For any questions do not hesitate to use the chat on the page, our dentists will help you.
