Healthier Teeth - Well.....STRINGS ATTACHED

At the end of every scaling ( cleaning appointment) we usually take out time to talk to the patient about oral hygiene. Ask about their technique - correct it - recommend stuff etc.

The one question we invariably get is - DO I NEED TO FLOSS? (We shall not even go into the 'Floss? What's floss?' category of patients)

Contradictory to the answer we give when the patient asks about using mouthwashes (which is it varies patient to patient) - the answer to this question is YES YES and YES.

If you can and are willing - Do IT.

Why you ask?

We lets just take an example to understand this.

You have a bed at home. You clean on top of it. You clean the sides of it. However the bed is rather low and you cannot get under the bed and hence the underside is left as it is. Now being good quality wood and all - maybe it may never really get ruined. But suppose there was a leak - water got into the room and under the bed as well. Now don't you move that bed so that you can dry the floor beneath ? Better still don't you empty it out and take it outside perhaps so that you could dry the underside of the bed itself? 

Of course you would - given that you don't want fungus growing out the bed. 

Now our teeth have 5 sides as well - and though with meticulous brushing we can clean 3 of them - 2 sides are like the underside of the bed. While nothing much accumulates there most days ( if you have really really tight contacts) - there is always the risk. 

It would be lovely to get those teeth out - wash them in the sink and put them back. But since that isn't happening anytime soon ( unless of course you prefer dentures) - we have to make do with what is available to clean out those surfaces.

Food does get stuck between teeth - even if its not a big chunk - it will be a thin almost transparent layer. Moreover when we are young contacts between teeth are tighter. As we age teeth start collecting more and more food particles making flossing all the more essential. 

Yes it is inconvenient ( but you get used to it)

Yes it is time consuming ( But you get faster with regular use)

Yes it involves putting your fingers in the mouth ( But you can always use those floss handles)

But given that it decreases your trips to the dentist - what more motivation could you possibly want?

There are a zillion different types out there - choose any one based on your convenience and budget.

Use it everyday, once a day. Here's How -How to floss your teeth

Or ask your dentist for a demonstration of the correct technique. 

For those of you who find the regular floss too tedious and inconvenient there are now a multitude of water flossers available - these can be hand held portable devices or even table top devices. You can read more about water flossers and the options available here - Top Water Flossers in India

You can check the technique of how to use the water flosser on this link How to use a water flosser

For more information contact Dr Arya aryasdentalclinic.com

The right way to brush your teeth

A lot of dentists advise you a million odd things. They tell you to get fillings done or scaling/cleaning done. They may tell you that you need teeth replaced. However a great many forget to tell you - that a lot of dental problems can be prevented. A little care, the correct brushing technique and a regular check up can prevent a host of dental disease.

So even if no one has ever explained to you the correct technique - it is never too late to learn.

Here's a link to the correct brushing technique :

Brushing technique


As shown in the video we don't really need fancy brushes and expensive toothpastes. Any brush or paste from a standard company will do the job. All you really need is the correct technique.

Along with the watching the video here is a list of a few things you can do to keep your teeth healthy:

1. Change your brush every three months irrespective of how new it looks
2. You don't need more than a pea sized blob of toothpaste.
3. Press the paste into the brush/or tap the brush so that the paste goes down between the bristles.
4. Do not exert excessive pressure as you can damage your teeth and gums.
5. It is recommended that you use a SOFT bristle brush unless specified by your dentist.
6. Clean your tongue.
7. Massage your gums with your fingers gently.
8. Not all patients require a mouthwash. If you are using one or want to use one - make sure you speak to your dentists about it. OTC mouthwashes are a dime a dozen - some of them have a few side effects. So make sure that you speak to your dentist before using one long term.
9. Flossing is an ideal way to supplement your brushing however if you are not going to do it regularly it doesn't have much value.



So Happy Brushing you pearly whites :)


For more information email us at draryasclinic@gmail.com