CLEANING OF TEETH

                  Teeth are the most important part of a beautiful smile.It is very important to keep our teeth clean.

                           The enamel of our teeth is white in color while the dentin is yellow in color. due to vigorous brushing the enamel of the teeth gets removed gradually, thereby exposing the dentin, thus making the teeth appear yellowish.

                   consuming colored foods and beverages also result in staining of the teeth, thereby changing the color of the teeth. extrinsic stains can be removed only by professional cleaning methods and deeper stains require various treatment which have to be carried out by a dentist.

Cleaning of teeth is of two types 
                                                     

                           ~ PROFESSIONAL CLEANING 
                                                     
                           ~ HOME CARE CLEANING  

                                                   

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING 

                                    
                                             Professional cleaning of teeth is done by dentist or dental hygienists. routine tooth brushing will not help in removing calculus and food deposits from inter dental areas. 

Professional scaling and polishing using ultra sonic scalers will help in cleaning the entire surface of the teeth and gums and shines the tooth surfaces. Patient might experience sensitivity of teeth after scaling which usually subsides over a period off 3-4 weeks. scaling and polishing of teeth should be done once in six months.

HOME CARE CLEANING

Home care cleaning includes

·         Tooth brushing

·         Flossing

·         Inter dental brushes

·         Tongue cleaner

·         Irrigating device

TOOTH BRUSHING:

                                 Tooth brush is commonly used oral hygiene aid to clean teeth in different countries. Today there are different types of tooth brushes available in the market-extra soft, soft, medium and hard.

SOFT TOOTHBRUSH

EXTRA SOFT TOOTHBRUSH

HARD TOOTHBRUSH

                                            Toothbrushes should be changed once in 3 months. Rinse the toothbrush with the tap water after tooth brushing to remove the residual toothpaste and debris present on it.

            

                      Fluoride toothpaste should be used to prevent dental caries. In children of age 6 months to 2 years, a smear of toothpaste should be used, children of 2 years to 6 years should use pea size amount of toothpaste and children above 6 years should use toothpaste covering the whole length of bristles of the toothbrush.

                                              Specially designed orthodontic brushes are indicated for patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.

 It should be understood that a proper brushing technique is very important for achieving a clean oral cavity than the selection of toothpaste.

DENTAL FLOSS:

                              Dental floss is a cord of thin filament used to clean inter dental areas which are not cleaned by routine tooth brushing. 

Dental floss can be used with a floss holder or with the hand. Flossing should be done at least once in a day in front of a mirror in the proper manner. Improper flossing can result in injury to the gums and cause bleeding from the gums. Dental flossing helps in preventing gum disease and dental decay.

Inter dental brushes  

                               
                                 An inter dental brush is a small brush either supplied with a reusable angles plastic handle or an integral handle,

              used for cleaning between the teeth and between the wires of dental braces and the teeth. These brushes help in cleaning open inter dental spaces in patients.

Tongue cleaner

                          
                          A tongue cleaner will help in cleaning the top part of the tongue. Usually food particles get accumulated over the top surface of the tongue which lead to malodour. A tongue cleaner preferably in plastic can help keep the tongue free of any debris. Metal tongue cleaners cause damage to the taste buds present on  the tongue.  

METAL TONGUE CLEANER

PLASTIC TONGUE CLEANER

Irrigating device(Water flosser)

                          
                            An irrigating device is unavailable in markets which are used for removing the food debris from around the teeth and gums using a pulsating pressure of water or anti plaque agents. The device comprises of a handle with a tip through which water jets at pressure which when directed towards the teeth or gums helps in displacing the food debris away. Water or mouth wash can be used as the irrigating agent in the device.

CONCLUSION

                               

                         Cleaning the teeth helps our oral cavity to remain hygienic and prevents infections from being transmitted from oral cavity to other parts of the body. Self – oral hygiene measures along with professional cleaning will help in maintaining adequate oral hygiene. 

Rootz Dental Care and Implant Center, 

No:2/2, First Floor, Sakthi Nagar,

Rajiv Gandhi Salai, Thuraipakkam,Chennai - 600 097,
Phone :- 9786688755 

Email :- rootzdentalcare@gmail.com

Web:- www.rootzdentalcare.in