Oral hygiene
Despite today’s oral hygiene products have almost reached perfection, the hygiene of teeth and gums doesn’t follow this perfection – it is confirmed so by the fact that gum inflammation (gingivitis) and periodontal diseases are between the most spread diseases of today. They affect more than 80% of the population.
The new approach to the motivation and control of personal oral hygiene, whose creator is dr.med.dent. Jiri Sedelmayer of the Dental clinic in Hamburg, is iTOP (individually Taught Oral Prophylaxis – individual training of oral prevention)
It can be carried out by certified practices of dental medicine that have completed the iTOP training, and among them are also the doctors from our Dental Studio Stradiot.
The primary question is: Who should teach people about keeping a good oral hygiene?
„Dental experts which have all that is needed to change the habits of applying oral hygiene: authority, training, personal relation and professional equipment. If the experts implement iTOP knowledge and the most modern non-traumatic equipment for cleaning, the success is guaranteed“, says dr. Sedelmayer.
Only with correct methods of oral hygiene and under the surveillance of experts can gum bleeding, dental caries and periodontal disease become history.
Is there a shortcut to health?
The answer is NO. Using medicine and preparations that only cover up symptoms won’t make the problem disappear. We are often using those „solutions“ when trying to get rid of bad breath (halitosis), because we think that we will get rid of bad breath if we use breath fresheners, chewing gums and mints. That way we can only cover up our bad breath, but we won’t get rid of the cause of our problem.
The cause of halitosis is in the oral cavity, in 90% of the cases. It is the result of plaque on teeth or tongue, bad oral hygiene, gum diseases or gum tissue problems and tooth decay.
For a thorough oral hygiene it is important to use an efficient toothbrush, which won’t harm our teeth or gums. It can be electric or normal. It is also important to clean between teeth on a daily basis, and for that purpose we have at out disposal multiple accessories: interdental brushes or dental floss, as well as the most advanced and sophisticated supplies.
It is not important when during the day you wash your teeth because it takes 24 hours for plaque to stiffen, so it doesn’t matter if you wash your teeth in the morning or in the evening, but it is very important that you wash your teeth, as well as your tongue.
Which toothpaste you use is less important because toothpaste is just an auxiliary tool for the maintenance of your oral hygiene.
In addition to this, you should check your teeth, gums and oral cavity at least twice a year with a doctor of dental medicine.
If your gums are bleeding, do not stop brushing your teeth regularly, but change your toothbrush. You should use a soft toothbrush because the hard ones can expose tooth necks and damage gums.
Food that can help you clean your teeth:
1. Apple
Apple contains phosphorus, calcium and fluorine and it is proven that this fruit cleans teeth both mechanically and physically.
2. Raw carrot
Chewing carrot can stimulate production of saliva, which helps removing food scraps. Fibers from the carrot also act as a toothbrush for teeth and gums.
3. Celery
Celery protects teeth in two ways. Chewing celery cause the emanation of a compound that neutralizes bacteria which cause dental caries. It also massages gums and cleans the oral cavity.
Taking vitamin C (from fruit or as a supplement) on daily basis protects gums from infections.
We need to remind ourselves that we are responsible for the health of our oral cavity, as much as for the health of our whole body. We love ourselves and we take care of ourselves.
