Today is #NationalDentistsDay . My note on taking care of one's teeth.
Disclaimer: Am not a Dentist. Am sharing from what I garnered from my Dentist friends and what I practice.
Disclaimer: Am not a Dentist. Am sharing from what I garnered from my Dentist friends and what I practice.
We Indians don't really take care of our teeth. We take them, a very important part of our body, for granted and misuse and abuse it. We rush to a dentist only when there is excruciating pain.
And more often than not, we get taken in by the ads of companies selling toothpaste and tooth brushes. So what are the simple steps that we can take to keep our teeth in a good shape? Dental Doctors - please feel free to add / correct me!!
A. Ads show the models covering the entire length of tooth brush being covered with paste. What does the paste carton / the tube say? They say," Use only a Pea-sized amount" !!!! - for children 6 and below. I apply a very small amount - about the size of pea only. That's enough!
b. Tooth Brush: A dentist in US told me to use only a soft bristle brush. No need to buy fancy bristle brushes. They are just marketing gimmicks!! They don't add any value except relieving the weight of your wallet.
c. Brushing: It is the gums that require a gentle pressure. Apply the brush in a movement of up and down and especially the point where the gums meet the teeth. That is where food particles get lodged and if not cleaned - lead from one thing to another.
Brushing - do it at least twice. Night time is a must.
One has to brush both the outer side AND the inner sides of the teeth. Using an Electric Toothbrush, it is about 2 minutes.
One has to brush both the outer side AND the inner sides of the teeth. Using an Electric Toothbrush, it is about 2 minutes.
Use a flosser to run between the teeth. There are various types available - use the one that you are comfortable with. One can also use something like this : Courtesy: Amazon.in (used for representational purposes only) 
After all this, visit your Dentist regularly and get a dental cleaning done at least once in a year, if not every 6 months. You will be happy because your teeth are. And, another positive side effect - the assorted smells that emanate from our mouth will vanish!!
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