Emergency tips for toothache and common sense about oral health care

How to Maintain Dental Health

Healthy teeth are essential for everyone. To achieve healthy and beautiful teeth, we recommend following these principles:

Choose a suitable toothbrush. The toothbrush head should be the appropriate size, and the bristles should ideally be made of high-quality nylon to prevent bacterial buildup. The bristles should also be smoothed to avoid damaging the gums. The handle length should be appropriate for easy grip.

When choosing toothpaste, select a product with effects suitable for your needs. For example, using fluoride toothpaste can strengthen tooth enamel, repair demineralized tooth surfaces, and help prevent plaque formation.

When brushing your teeth, brush vertically rather than horizontally, and brush all three surfaces: the outer, inner, and top surfaces. Hold the toothbrush at a 45° angle to the teeth and gums, starting from the root and then the entire tooth. Do not brush too hard.

Develop the habit of brushing your teeth twice a day, morning and night. In addition, rinse your mouth after each meal to remove food debris. Brushing your teeth before bed is very important because less saliva is produced at night, making it easier for bacteria to stick to your teeth.

Clean your tongue as well. The tongue's surface accumulates bacteria and food debris, which can cause bad breath.

Avoid flossing unless absolutely necessary.

Change bad habits such as biting pen caps, sucking your fingers, biting your lips, biting your tongue, sleeping on your stomach, and mouth breathing. These can all cause misaligned teeth and increase the likelihood of cavities.

Increase saliva production. Chewing gum promotes saliva production and contains various enzymes and minerals that can repair the tooth surface.

Have a dental checkup every six months.

Plaque and tartar: Enemies of Oral Health

Plaque is a soft, accumulated mixture of food debris, shed epithelial cells from the oral mucosa, mucus from saliva, and bacteria. It is easily removed by brushing. Tartar, on the other hand, is formed from mineralized plaque and other deposits on the tooth surface. It is hard, adheres tightly to the teeth, and cannot be removed by brushing alone.

Plaque, tartar, and periodontal disease are closely related. Under sterile conditions, the rough tartar provides mechanical irritation to the gums but does not cause significant inflammation. The harm tartar causes to periodontal tissues lies primarily in providing a favorable environment for plaque adhesion and bacterial growth. Tartar itself also easily attracts more bacterial toxins, irritating soft tissues, causing gum congestion and swelling, and bleeding during brushing. If gingival inflammation continues to progress to deeper tissues, it can lead to spontaneous gum bleeding and bad breath. As alveolar bone is destroyed, teeth will become loose, shift, and chewing will become difficult. Therefore, thorough removal of tartar is crucial in the prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases. Tartar often develops from plaque. Below are some methods for removing plaque:

Vinegar Method: Hold vinegar in your mouth and swish it around for 2-3 minutes, then spit it out. Rinse with warm water after brushing your teeth. Alternatively, add two drops of vinegar to your toothpaste when brushing; consistent use will remove plaque.

Alum Brushing Method: Grind 50 grams of alum into powder, dip a toothbrush in the powder, and brush your teeth twice daily to remove yellow plaque.

Cuttlebone Brushing Method: Grind 50 grams of cuttlebone into a fine powder, mix it into toothpaste, and brush your teeth twice daily to remove black plaque.

These are all simple methods for removing plaque. If you can prevent plaque from sticking to your teeth, tartar cannot form. However, once tartar forms, you'll have to see a dentist to remove it.