Get good dental hygiene by adding interdental brushing
Practicing good oral hygiene habits is essential in order to have a healthy mouth and to prevent oral diseases such as caries or periodontal disease.
For optimal oral hygiene it is necessary to remove oral biofilm (bacterial plaque) from the surfaces of teeth and tongue. Different tools are available to help mechanically remove bacterial plaque as well as chemical products to help protect teeth and gums providing different benefits depending on their composition.
A toothbrush is the most important tool for the mechanical control of oral biofilm, however, it only cleans 60% of the tooth surface. The remaining 40% corresponds to the interproximal area, which provides favourable conditions for the accumulation of oral biofilm.
In order to get rid of this biofilm build-up, interdental hygiene tools, including interproximal brushes, dental floss or tape and oral irrigators must be used depending on if the space is open (the gums do not cover the entire interdental space) or closed (interproximal spaces are covered by the gingiva in cases of dental crowding).
6 simple steps for proper oral hygiene
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Choose a quality toothbrush with textured, end-rounded filaments.
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Use a proper brushing technique:
Place the brush filaments against gumline at a 45-degree angle. After moving the brush over teeth with a vibrating movement, end with a gentle sweeping motion away from gums both on the internal and the external sides of teeth. The sweeping motion on the chewing surfaces should be horizontal.
Remember that brushing should last at least 2 minutes – spending at least 30 seconds per quadrant.
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Choose the best interdental cleaning tool:
Open spaces should be cleaned using interproximal brushes.
It is important to choose the correct PHD (Passage Hole Diameter), which is the size of the interdental space, so that the filaments and not the wire are what come in contact with the teeth.
The model that provides the best access to each interproximal space must also be chosen: models with straight, flexible or bent handles.
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Use toothpastes and mouthwashes containing fluoride and other specific components for each situation: gum problems, braces…
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A tongue cleaner should be used to remove the oral biofilm that forms on the tongue and which causes malodour.
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Repeat this process at least two times per day or after every meal.
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