teeth care tips from my dentist(s)
I am not a dentist or an expert. but i have really bungled teeth and these are care tips ive gotten from dentists over the years that you should know! theyve helped me stay cavity free for a bit
Order of Operations for toothbrushing routine; floss, brush, mouthwash. look for toothpastes with a fluoride content of at least 0.243%. look for mouthwashes with a fluoride content of at least 0.05%. you can find higher concentrations at a pharmacy or from your dentist directly.
-floss picks are good so long as you, um, remove the gunk between each tooth as it were. string dental floss is preferred so you have more surface area. keep floss by your bed/desk/wherever you spend most of your time. floss between meals even!
-THE WATERPIK IS A USELESS BACTERIA TRAIN. im sorry you found out this way. YOU NEED TO FLOSS MANUALLY.
-start with a DRY toothbrush. put toothpaste directly on the dry bristles. brush for 2 minutes if manual or for the recommended cycle if its an electric toothbrush. do not introduce water into the mouth during any part of this process, it will stop the paste from "sticking" to the teeth. do not rinse with water, just spit. ideally the fluoride in the toothpaste will linger and continue protecting you for a bit.
-rinsing with mouthwash is okay. do not eat or drink for 30 minutes after brushing or mouthwash.
-it Should be an electric toothbrush unless your dentist has said otherwise (some people are put on soft bristle brushes only if they have like, severe gum issues). dont put too much pressure on it or jiggle it too much- the point of an electric toothbrush is to let the vibration massage the gunk away. slow calm motions as opposed to scrubbing.
-soda/energy drinks/sour candy is tooth poison. anything containing citric acid will contribute massively to enamel weakening. if you are going to drink sodas, try to take more bigger drinks than smaller sips and ideally with a meal (the idea here is to not keep waterboarding your teeth with acid. just take efficient drinks). rinse with water after youre done and spit the water out, dont swallow it. mouthwash isnt super necessary.
-soft carb-rich foods like bread, crackers, rice, pasta and such are actually also big causes of tooth decay. the soft and sweet White Bread especially. it settles between the teeth and becomes the ultimate gunk feed. if your depression meals consist of a lot of toast, saltines, ritz crackers and the like, you should also be brushing regularly.
-"If you're gonna eat candy, don't eat that hard crap. I'd much prefer you eat chocolate. At least that will melt away and won't leave you with a bunch of acid." -Dr. Winskill DDS
-brushing your teeth before you go to sleep for long periods of time is very ideal, but you can actually brush your teeth during any time of the day as long as its at least once or twice. brush in the shower, brush when you get home from work, brush in the middle of the night. as long as youre doing it it counts!
-Preventative care is always going to be better than restorative care. this is your one set of teeth. dont rely on getting dentures, implants, or bridges as a way of saying "eh, skipping it this one time cant hurt". getting dentures is a last resort. they have to remove Bones from your Face. implants can be extremely dangerous if theyre not done right and they can cost massively. veneers are even more dangerous if theyre done wrong and right now, with the tiktok trends going on, you DO NOT want to get cheap veneers. please please trust me. brush your teeth.
-see a dentist annually, etc. these are teeth care tips, not dental office tips but always remember its your mouth and you have a choice. you can always get a second opinion on a treatment plan.
