These are five things you can do for yourself that works wonders for your Mouth!!!

1. Brushing twice a day: This is the golden rule of maintaining oral hygiene. Brushing well with the correct brush and a good toothpaste using the correct technique is of utmost importance. A lot of my patients ask me “ Is it mandatory to brush twice a day or rather do I need to brush in the night? In fact, it is more important to brush at night than morning, because when we sleep over 7 to 8 hours, our mouth drives out. This creates an ideal situation for cavity formation, dental decay, and gingival inflammation.

2. Brushing with the right technique: It is vital to use the correct stroke and pressure while brushing. A lot of my patients tell me that they use horizontal fast strokes while brushing. This results in more harm than good. The correct method to use is a vertical stroke in the opposite direction like for the uppers one should always brush downwards vertically and for the lowers in an upward direction. The other option is to use round strokes in a controlled Manner. Aggressive horizontal strokes can lead to loss of enamel or tooth structure. This can lead to abrasive lesions which are saucer shaper defects near the gum margin. These can cause hypersensitivity and pain.

3. Warm Saline rinses: These are nothing but warm water with salt rinsing. This can greatly help with inflame nation and swelling in the gums. This is a great home care solution for many dental problems. In cases of wisdom molar pain with gum swelling it can greatly reduce the inflame nation and ease the pain of the wisdom molar. In general warm saltwater reduces inflammation by removing the infection as salt is a natural antiseptic and the heat enhances its action.

4. Flossing: I cannot stress enough on how important flossing is. It is of utmost importance to floss every single day. Regular and thorough flossing not only Cleans out the interdental spaces which are the little gaps between the teeth, but it also helps in keeping the gums healthy. Flossing reduces the general inflammation in the gums, over time this causes the gums to heal well and retain its elasticity and strength.

5. Regular changing of toothbrush: A toothbrush needs to be changed every 3 months. This is the maximum time one should use it, as after this period the bristles fray and wear out. In such a situation the toothbrush cleaning efficacy is lost and it causes more damage than good.

This can also cause wearing off of the enamel with time. So, I would like to conclude by saying that if the above 5 golden rules are followed on a day to day basis, you can have healthy strong teeth and gums with minimal issues or dental problems!!