Alternative care products - how to brush your teeth if you don’t have toothpaste or a brush. How to properly brush your teeth and oral cavity

How to get rid of plaque at home? This question arises precisely because of inattention to hygiene, refusal preventive examinations at the dentist.

We will talk about why deposits appear on enamel and how you can deal with them.

What is plaque?

Harmful bacteria and food debris covering the enamel with a film - this is what plaque consists of. Its appearance after eating is normal; if cleaned in a timely manner, it will not have time to cause harm. But if you don’t get rid of plaque in time, they will penetrate into inner layer. Gradual accumulation leads to yellowing of the crowns, especially in the fissures and above the gum.

The rotting of food residues provokes and if you do not get rid of them, the enamel will become thinner, tartar and caries will appear. It is much easier to clean off the deposits at the first stage, since they are soft and have not yet penetrated the dentin.

Causes

After a meal, everyone can even notice by feeling that their teeth seem to be covered with a film. These are food debris and bacteria that begin to actively reproduce. The crowns will still remain for some time snow-white color, but gradually it becomes darker. Then it will turn yellow, and in advanced cases even black.

People find the most yellowness near the neck of the tooth, since plaque accumulates faster near the natural cavities. Regular use of a brush hinders the process, and if you don’t use it at all, it will be easier for food debris to settle on the soft mass covering the dentin. The outcome of this is the formation.

A number of factors accelerate plaque formation:

poor personal hygiene and inability to use it - it is ideal if you manage to brush your teeth after any food (even a snack), and especially after eating something carbohydrate. You can replace the procedure by using dental floss or at least rinsing the mouth;
a course of treatment with iron-containing substances, since the microelement, due to its structure, settles on the enamel;
abuse of chocolate, baked goods and other foods with high content carbohydrate;
physiological characteristics - this includes reasons due to individual factors: viscous saliva, its disadvantage, frequent thirst, chronic diseases;
smoking - the resins eat into the enamel so tightly that even with careful hygiene it is very difficult to remove them. The gradual accumulation of such deposits leads to yellowing.

Photo

Kinds

The division of plaque by professional dentists is even carried out by color. The hue often indicates its origin:

brown and dark yellow - typical for people who abuse smoking, especially those who smoke a lot. In others, it occurs in the presence of an amalgam filling. Patients who do not have bad habits, are also susceptible to the formation of deposits of this color. This is due to the peculiarities of production (work in metal smelting) and lack of hygiene. Dark Plaque occurs in children on milk teeth, which is joint reaction sulfur and iron;
black - signals serious dysfunction in the body and may indicate pathologies of the biliary tract or severe dysbiosis. It also appears with abuse of antibiotics or after chemotherapy. It is impossible to deal with this color of deposits at home;
white – appears after sleep. It also needs to be cleaned off to prevent it from rotting and turning into stone;
green – the color is typical for people under 16 years of age. This type of layering is concentrated on the frontal part and is associated with eating something green that contains chlorophyll;
gray layering - occurs as a result of enamel hyperplasia or may simply indicate insufficient hygiene mouth;
white-yellow - has a characteristic loose structure and accumulates throughout the day. Removing such deposits is easy and normal cleaning is suitable for this purpose.

The stages of plaque formation are as follows:

a thin layer appears after 4 hours, even after cleaning;
7 hours after hygiene, the number of bacteria on it reaches 10 million;
after 7 days the deposits become visible and bad taste and smell.

Gradually they all harden, and the remaining food is transformed into stone. It can be subgingival, regular or supragingival.

Professional techniques

Removing plaque with professional cleaning is the simplest solution that will bring quick results. This method is much more expensive than any home recipes. There are 3 methods of whitening:

Ultrasonic cleaning removes deposits along with the layer pathogenic bacteria. It is important that the enamel does not suffer from such exposure. After applying ultrasound, the surface is polished. This method is considered one of the available ones, and it also effectively removes even hardened components.
Air Flow - the procedure is based on the use of a mixture of water and air with the addition of soda. The base is applied to the teeth under pressure, so polishing and removing plaque particles occurs without harm. This method is suitable even for hard-to-reach areas. Air Flow is contraindicated for people on a salt-free diet, asthmatics and pregnant women.
Modern techniques are complemented by laser cleaning. It is also effective and does not cause discomfort or damage. The enamel does not thin out, so the laser is suitable for lovers of cigarettes and coffee, as it allows you to repeat the procedure several times. It is used even for the darkest deposits, but even in these cases, anesthesia is not required before the start of the event. The results last for a year, but the cost is much more expensive than other types of cleaning.

Indication tablets help to understand whether it is necessary professional whitening. They are purchased at a pharmacy, placed in the mouth and chewed thoroughly. After this, the tongue is passed along the entire edge of the teeth, the cavity is rinsed and the crowns are checked.

This product turns areas where fresh deposits are located pinkish or red. The blue color will be in those places where food remains are already old. If there is more of this shade, then you can cope with it only with the help of professional methods. Pink dentin can be cleaned using normal, thorough hygiene.

How to remove plaque at home?

A number of methods can help remove plaque on teeth at home:

Regularly eating citrus fruits will protect against the accumulation of food debris on your teeth. The vitamin C contained in pineapples, lemons and oranges restores blood circulation and prevents bad breath;
black radish or its juice can corrode neoplasms, so these products should be consumed daily;
Brew dry celandine in boiling water and heat in a water bath for 4 hours. This concentrated infusion is suitable for rinsing after meals;
Burn the eggplant and crumble the ashes into dust. Place it on the brush and apply to the enamel. There is no need to rub it, just hold it for a while and rinse your mouth. If used regularly, the recipe will prevent tartar;
take a few drops of hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice, add the mixture to the soda and stir until a paste forms. It is placed on the teeth and washed off after 5-7 minutes. If you can clean them with ash, then it is better not to rub this product in, as it quickly injures the protective layer due to the large number of abrasive components. You can repeat the mask only after a week;
chopped burdock root (1 tbsp) and 3-5 dried bean pods. The ingredients are boiled for 3 hours, and after cooling, rinse your mouth with the broth. Repeat the procedure 5-6 times a day;
Activated carbon crush to powder, sprinkle with it toothpaste and gently clean the dentin.

Much more effective raid It will be cleaned if you purchase a brush with high stiff bristles. It is better to use it alternately with soft bristles so as not to scratch the enamel. Constant trauma will lead to abrasion and increased sensitivity. The teeth themselves will become whiter, but their condition will worsen.

How to prevent plaque from appearing on teeth?

Prevention of deposits and tartar on dentin is quite simple. The rules are:

eat rationally and nutritiously;
to refuse from bad habits;
regularly, use floss and rinses (fully);
choose 2 types of toothpastes with different effects(therapeutic and whitening);
reduce consumption of tea, sweets and coffee;
visit the dentist regularly.

Changing the brush to an ultrasonic one has a beneficial effect on the quality of cleaning. You can supplement your hygiene by removing food deposits even in hard-to-reach areas. And 1-2 times a year you need to carry out a thorough cleaning of plaque in the dental office. All these measures are an excellent prevention of any dental plaque and additionally prevent oral diseases.

Video: what happens if you don’t get rid of plaque?

It is necessary to brush your teeth at least twice a day - morning and evening. Everyone knows this rule, but they give themselves some slack if they suddenly run out of toothpaste and don’t have time to buy a new one. And in vain!

The lack of a cleaning product is not a reason to refuse to brush your teeth, because toothpaste can easily be replaced with natural, healthy and no less effective products.

You can brush your teeth...

By water

If your teeth are healthy, then brushing with water is a suitable alternative to toothpastes. Water cleanses teeth from pathogenic bacteria and directly from the remnants of eaten food, which is the main goal when brushing your teeth. That is, water has no less effect, because caries develops where teeth are poorly cleaned.

Activated carbon

Almost everyone has activated carbon. home medicine cabinet. To brush your teeth, you only need two tablets of activated carbon. This method of brushing teeth was used in ancient times, although at that time they used wood ash rather than activated carbon to clean teeth. So if you find yourself outside of civilization, for example, on a hike, you can safely use stove ash and crushed charcoal from a fire to clean your teeth. It is believed that the best charcoal for brushing teeth is made from linden.

How to use? Activated carbon tablets must be chewed thoroughly. Take a toothbrush, wet it under running water and start brushing your teeth. At the end, rinse your mouth thoroughly. If you use ash, you must first rub it into your teeth and then start brushing.

By the way, activated carbon will not only cleanse your teeth of food debris and plaque, but also whiten them.

Salt

Salt is a fairly common means of cleaning teeth; it effectively destroys microbes in the mouth and helps strengthen weak gums that often bleed.

Back in 1674, the Dutch inventor Antony van Leeuwenhoek made two outstanding discoveries. Firstly, he discovered the world of microbes, and secondly, a way to destroy them in the mouth with the help of salt. The discovery happened by accident when a wash from the scientist’s teeth was found under the lens of a microscope. Anthony van Leeuwenhoek saw a lot of microbes, but after wiping his teeth with a cloth with salt, he did not find any microbes on the new wash. The scientist brushed his teeth with salt until the end of his life and, by the way, lived 93 years.

Salt not only effectively cleans teeth, but also heals gums, prevents decay processes, and removes bad smell from the mouth, salt eats away tartar and thereby whitens the enamel.

To brush your teeth, you can use a simple table salt and sea, which is rich in minerals and trace elements. Calcium, magnesium, potassium, silicon, sodium, phosphorus, nickel and iron will strengthen the gums, and iodine and manganese will have a bactericidal effect.

How to use? The salt should be fine. The toothbrush must be moistened and the wet bristles dipped in salt. Further brushing of teeth occurs according to the usual pattern.

You can make “homemade” toothpaste based on salt, for example, by mixing salt and vegetable oil.

There is another way to brush your teeth - you need to grind it finely. sea salt, put a teaspoon under your tongue, when there is a lot of saliva in your mouth, dissolve the salt in the saliva and use your finger to clean your teeth and gums well with this brine.

The only downside to salt is that if your enamel is damaged and your teeth are sick, then brushing your teeth may be painful at first, but gradually the symptoms go away and.

Soda

You need to brush your teeth with soda in the same way as with salt, but it is recommended to use it less often, because unlike salt, soda greatly irritates the gums.

Other improvised means

A piece of bandage– with its help usually, but it is also suitable for adults and will get rid of plaque on the teeth. Wrap your finger in a piece of wet bandage and start brushing your teeth with it.

Instead of toothpaste you can chew young wheatgrass– during the chewing process, the grass turns into small, soaked cellulose fibers, and each fiber, like a brush, cleans the teeth. Also, the juice of this herb is alkaline.

Heavy smokers are advised to brush their teeth orris root flour. The root is crushed, dried in the oven and then used. Iris prevents and treats caries and periodontal disease. Also good remedy is flour from the horsetail plant - stops bleeding and includes silicon, which has a strengthening effect, prevents caries.

You can get rid of plaque on your teeth using proven home methods. Each of them is effective in its own way, but the choice suitable method Whitening is determined on an individual basis. In addition, cleaning tooth enamel should not only be effective, but also safe.

What is plaque on teeth

Pathogenic microorganisms and food debris cover the enamel with a film that hardens over time, forming plaque. Its formation after eating - normal process, so if you brush your teeth regularly, it will not cause any harm. If you do not get rid of darkening on the enamel in time, then this is fraught with the development various diseases, including stomatitis, caries.

Plaque on teeth

Why does plaque appear?

Tea and coffee

Frequent consumption of coffee, tea and other coloring products causes pigmentation on the teeth. If you don’t take any action, it will become more noticeable and intense each time.

Smoking

Getting nicotine from cigarettes is one of the main reasons that leads to yellowing of the surface of the teeth. Tobacco has the property of a natural dye, and during smoking it eats into the enamel. Smokers, in addition to plaque, can also observe tartar.

Smoking causes teeth to turn yellow.

Microcracks

If the enamel is damaged, then the presence of microcracks will become an excellent place for food debris to accumulate. Even rinsing and brushing your teeth will not get rid of them 100%. As a result, stains appear on the enamel surface, which disrupt the aesthetics of the smile.

In addition to the dark film on the teeth, bacteria multiply. This is fraught with the development of caries, stomatitis and other dental diseases.

Poor hygiene

If you choose the wrong brush and toothpaste, you will not be able to remove all the bacteria in your mouth. Thus, favorable conditions are created for their reproduction and darkening of the enamel.

How to remove plaque on teeth

Professional help in removing plaque

Ultrasonic cleaning

Ultrasound is one of the most popular ways to clean plaque from teeth. During its exposure, the tissues and oral cavity are not damaged, while the teeth themselves are cleaned and become white. Upon completion of the procedure, apply polishing toothpaste.

The advantages of ultrasound include the absence of pain and a long-lasting effect. And the downside is the high cost.

Ultrasound teeth cleaning

Air Flow

This procedure involves using a mixture of water and air with the addition of soda. The composition is applied to the surface of the teeth under pressure, so that polishing and removing plaque particles is carried out without harm. The method is used to treat hard-to-reach areas. It should not be used by people who maintain a salt-free diet, as well as by asthmatics and pregnant women.

Laser cleaning

This modern way removing dental plaque. Laser ray has a positive effect on enamel, making it less sensitive. It gets rid of stones even in advanced cases. The advantages of the method include painlessness and long-lasting effect, the disadvantages are high cost and a long process, because each tooth needs separate cleaning.

How to remove plaque from teeth at home

Daily hygienic cleaning teeth must be examined at least 2 times a day. After this, rinse the mouth with a special liquid. Use dental floss after every meal. Suitable for cleaning the tongue special brush. It is necessary to do this, since it is on its surface that there are many pathogenic microflora.

Use dental floss.

Paste and brushes for removing plaque

When buying a toothpaste, you need to take into account the following point: high-quality products for removing tartar should not simultaneously contain components such as fluoride and calcium carbonate. In tandem, they have an aggressive effect on the enamel, making it thin.

The paste must contain triclosan. This is an antibiotic that suppresses the growth of pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity and maintains normal microflora.

The most popular pastes for removing plaque remain:

Lacalut White;
Glister;
New pearls;
Jason;
Sea Fresh;
Dabur Carnation;
President White Plus;
Blend-a-Med;
Royal Denta Silver and Sensitive;
Detartrine (detartrin).

The toothbrush should have soft bristles so as not to injure the gums.

Change your toothbrush every 2-3 months, as it contains a lot of germs and bacteria.

Pharmacy products for removing plaque

Gel

Such gels contain hydrogen peroxide as the main component. Additionally there is carbamide peroxide. Its main advantage is its gentle effect on tooth enamel. But there is also a drawback - low activity when compared with hydrogen peroxide. When using a gel, whitening occurs with active oxygen, which is released when peroxide interacts with the enamel.

There are several of the most effective drugs:

Expert Whitening;
Smile4You;
Colgate;
Opalescencia PolaDay;
Lumbrite.

The composition of the gels that are used in the dental clinic contains similar active ingredients. Catalyst only chemical reaction laser relief appears. During the procedure, you can whiten your teeth up to 12 shades in one session.

Colgate

Regular toothbrushes are suitable for applying the gel at home. Although the packages with the drug come with mouthguards that are put on the teeth. The gel is placed in them. The duration of the procedure depends on the concentration of peroxide in the composition. On average it lasts 30 minutes. To obtain maximum results, 3-15 manipulations will be required.

Mouth guards

To whiten teeth using such structures, you need to buy them at the pharmacy. Next, apply whitening gel to them and secure them to your teeth. Carry out similar actions while sleeping. Mouthguards are a mobile device that can be reused. But when wearing them, slight discomfort is felt and tooth sensitivity increases.

Whitening tray

Whitening strips

These devices perfectly whiten enamel by 1-4 tones, eliminating yellow and brown plaque. The active ingredient is urea or hydrogen peroxide. Before using flexible plates, remove the protective film from them. This will allow oxygen ions to become active. Whitening Features:

Carry out the procedure at regular intervals - 1-2 times a day.
The composition of the drug affects the duration of this manipulation, on average it will be 5-30 minutes.
Attach a short strip to the bottom row of teeth, and a long strip to the top row.
Each plate is designed for one use.
After removing the strip, rinse your mouth and brush your teeth with paste.

After the manipulation, a slight softening of the enamel is observed, so you will have to give up coffee, tea, and wine for 2-4 weeks.

How to remove plaque with folk remedies

Hydrogen peroxide

The drug has a good whitening effect. Use hydrogen peroxide to prepare the solution. For 100 ml of water, 10 ml of product. Apply after brushing your teeth with paste. But do it quickly - 1-2 seconds, otherwise you can burn your gums. After the procedure, rinse your mouth with plain water.

Soda

This product is easy to use and affordable, because it can be found in every housewife’s arsenal. To restore the whiteness of your teeth, you need to combine baking soda with toothpaste and brush your teeth. Do not apply pressure, as the particles of the drug are abrasive. But one procedure will not be enough. The frequency of using soda depends on the degree of contamination of the teeth.

Baking soda

Activated carbon

Crush a tablet of black activated carbon into powder. Mix it with toothpaste and clean the dentin. After the first use you can see the first result. But you should not use the product when hypersensitivity dental, since activated carbon has abrasive particles.

Burdock root

Grind the raw materials and take 20 g in an amount, add 3-5 pieces of dried bean pods, add water. Simmer the ingredients over the fire for 3 hours, and once the broth has cooled, filter it and use it as a mouth rinse. Carry out events 5-6 times a day.

Eggplant

Burn the root vegetable and crumble the ashes to dust. Pour it onto your toothbrush and work on the enamel. There is no need to rub it, just apply and hold, then rinse with water. With regular use, you can not only whiten your teeth, but also eliminate plaque.

Nut decoction

Young branches walnut pour in hot water and simmer on fire for 20 minutes. Filter and use the decoction for rinsing. You can soak a toothbrush in it and clean the plaque. Conduct events regularly for 30 days. During this time, the plaque softens and then easily separates from the surface of the teeth.

You can use nut decoction to prevent plaque on a regular basis.

Decoction of linden and sunflower heads

Grind these components, add water and simmer for 30 minutes. Before brushing your teeth, dip the brush in the infusion and then apply the paste. You can also use a filtered mouth rinse. The prepared product softens plaque and separates it from the tooth surface.

Honey

Take 20 g of honey, dissolve in 100 ml warm water. Use the composition warm to rinse the mouth 2 times a day.

Honey not only removes plaque, but also neutralizes bad breath.

Horsetail decoction

To prepare, use 30 g of dried flowers and pour 200 ml of boiling water over them. Simmer for 10 minutes, wait 30 minutes, filter and rinse 3 times a day.

Honey

Celandine

To prepare, take 30 g of finely chopped raw materials, pour a glass of boiling water, and simmer for 10 minutes. Filter, cool and rinse your mouth with the broth in the morning and evening. Celandine is great disinfectant, which guarantees protection against plaque, freshens breath and normalizes the microflora of the oral cavity.

Eucalyptus decoction

This infusion is characterized by a whole range of medicinal properties:

disinfectant;
elimination of tartar and unpleasant odor;
cupping chronic form tonsillitis.

Prevention

To ensure that the above methods of getting rid of plaque on teeth are not useful, and your smile is always snow-white, you need to follow the following preventive measures:

carry out oral hygiene in the morning and before bed;
do not smoke or do so rarely;
do not abuse coffee and tea;
change your toothbrush every 3 months;
rinse your mouth after every meal and drink;
do not use the same toothpaste for teeth;
visit the dentist's office to clean your tooth enamel.

Conclusion

It is not difficult to whiten enamel at home, but you will have to be patient, since you will not be able to get a powerful effect from the first procedure. But it is not recommended to get carried away with some drugs (hydrogen peroxide, activated carbon, whitening strips). If you use them uncontrollably, the condition of the enamel will worsen and it will become more sensitive.

A snow-white smile is the dream of many, but not everyone can achieve it. After all, one desire is not enough. To prevent stones from growing on your teeth and to prevent the enamel from becoming pigmented, regular oral care and compliance with a number of preventive measures are necessary.

Causes of dental plaque

No matter how hard you try to brush your teeth, pigment plaque will still appear on them. And the more rules you break, the more intense the snow-white enamel will fade.

To understand what main reason unsightly plaque on your teeth, you should reconsider your life priorities.

Lovers of strong black tea and coffee are potential “victims” of dental plaque. And the more often you drink these drinks, the more intense the process of staining the enamel.
Another “risk group” is smokers. Tobacco is a good natural dye. The nicotine flakes that fill cigarettes contain resin substances, the derivatives of which, when smoked, eat into tooth enamel, becoming the basis not only for plaque. Smokers are more likely than other people to develop tartar buildup.
Microcracks in teeth, worn enamel (even slightly) are “favorable” places for food debris to penetrate there. And even the usual ones hygiene procedures(brushing teeth, rinsing) are not able to completely remove crumbs. In such cases, the plaque does not spread evenly, and the enamel looks spotty.

Against the backdrop of all this, the conclusion suggests itself - we need to seriously address own health. And the struggle for a snow-white smile should become a daily constant.

To take care of the beauty of your teeth, you need to start small. Daily cleaning of enamel should become a life attitude. And it’s not enough to do this twice a day - in the morning to freshen your breath, and in the evening to get rid of the remnants of the day’s food stuck between your teeth. The result will be effective if the hygiene procedure is carried out after each meal. And this, as a rule, is about 3-5 times a day, which, you see, is not always convenient. But for such cases, there is a standby option: chewing gum, which you can always have on hand.

All these measures will only reduce the intensity of the enamel staining into an unpresentable appearance. Therefore, the plaque will have to be removed in any case. And here there are 2 options: do it yourself at home or visit periodically dental clinic, where they will provide high-quality teeth cleaning.

Clinical care
To remove tartar, dental offices Many people visit. But few people use the services of a specialist to clean enamel from plaque. However, there are installations that will quickly and painlessly (and most importantly, effectively) give you a “Hollywood” smile.

A special abrasive device called “Air FLOW” (“air breathing”) works on the principle of sandblasting. Only instead of a quartz component, the device is charged with soda mixed with water. Sodium bicarbonate under high pressure from the tip falls on the teeth, knocking off the dark film of pigment plaque from the enamel.
If, in addition to stains, there are stones on your teeth, then it is better to turn to the second method of cleansing - using ultrasound. For this purpose there is a device called a “scaler”. A high-frequency generator produces vibrations that, using a special attachment, are directed towards the teeth. The contact of a vibration wave with deposits and deposits provokes their destruction. These “production wastes” are immediately washed away with water, also supplied from the nozzle. And then all excess is removed with saliva ejectors.

The procedures described are not complicated, but there is not always time to visit doctors’ offices. At home, hygiene procedures can be carried out more often, coordinating all actions with your own rhythm of life.

Special dental care products

To maintain the beauty of your tooth enamel, you should purchase special cleaning products. But they should only be used as an addition to daily teeth brushing.

Whitening pastes with an abrasive-polishing effect (Lakalut, Whitening Plus, etc.) contain special granules of titanium dioxide or silicon oxide. To avoid damaging the enamel, the abrasive particles were specially cut using high technology.
The industry also produces preparations that allow you to loosen pigment deposits on enamel: chemical compounds“Pyrophosphate” and “Polydon”, as well as a substance based on the plant enzyme “Bromelain”.

When using all these products, you should keep in mind that they are not for daily cleaning. In the morning and evening, only hygienic or medicinal paste should be used. It is better to whiten enamel with these substances no more than 2 times a week.

Folk recipes

When removing plaque on enamel, you can do without chemicals. To do this, just turn to traditional medicine recipes.

The simplest and affordable drug, which can be found in any kitchen - baking soda. To whiten, just mix a little product with toothpaste and simply brush your teeth. At the same time, try not to apply strong pressure - soda particles are somewhat abrasive. But to achieve whiteness, one procedure will not be enough. The frequency of using soda depends on the degree of contamination of your teeth.
Hydrogen peroxide, which can be found in your home medicine cabinet, has a good whitening effect. They don’t brush their teeth with it, but rinse it aqueous solution(for half a glass of water, 1 tsp of the drug) after using the paste. But this must be done quickly (within 1-2 seconds) so as not to burn the gums. And be sure to rinse your mouth with clean water.
The same peroxide can be used in another way. After moistening a cotton pad with the liquid, rub your teeth with it, being careful not to touch your gums. After the procedure, rinse your mouth.
Our great-grandfathers also used wood ash to whiten fabrics, faces and teeth. Now this component can be purchased in flower shops as a high-quality fertilizer, but used to lighten teeth. Ash can be rubbed into teeth separately or mixed with paste (in equal proportions). But due to increased abrasiveness, carry out such bleaching no more than once a week.
And this recipe will be attractive to many. Experienced people claim that strawberries have whitening properties. You just need to use the berry for a month to achieve the desired result. After crushing the strawberry into a pulp, apply it to the brush and brush your teeth with your usual movements. Then the procedure is repeated, but using toothpaste.
By adding a drop to a tube of daily paste essential oils(lemon and tea), you will fight not only with plaque on the enamel, but also at the same time carry out the prevention of periodontal disease, because such a mixture will kill all microbes in the oral cavity.

You shouldn’t get hung up on one of the recipes for cleaning enamel from plaque - it’s better to use a set of products (decide which ones individually). The frequency of use and duration of whitening should be dictated by the severity of the enamel stain. But a light, slightly yellowish coating is not a reason to sound the alarm.

Video: what happens if you don’t brush plaque and tartar

It would seem that daily brushing of teeth is a simple matter, is it worth devoting an entire article to it? Dentists say that most of us brush our teeth incorrectly, and this leads to a number of oral problems. Improper oral hygiene can cause diseases of the teeth and gums, lead to bad breath, and darkening of tooth enamel.

Why brush your teeth?

The oral cavity is one of the most exposed to environment places in the body. Billions of bacteria live in the mouth. We are given teeth for mechanical processing of food, i.e. chewing food, the remains of which may get stuck between the teeth. This creates nutrient medium for microorganisms. If a person has not brushed his teeth for a long time, bacteria multiply very quickly and a soft plaque forms.

This plaque is very destructive for teeth, because... produces acid that destroys tooth enamel. If you do not clean it off, the tooth will soon be susceptible to carious lesions. In addition, plaque contributes to the disruption of the natural barrier to infections in the mouth. It can also cause halitosis - bad breath and the formation of tartar.

If we regularly clean our teeth of soft plaque, we will not give microorganisms a single chance to cause caries and other problems.

How often should you brush your teeth?

It is necessary to brush your teeth at least 2 times a day - in the morning after breakfast and in the evening before bed. Dentists recommend a three-minute duration of brushing with a toothbrush (i.e., at least 3 minutes).

In addition to cleansing the external and internal surfaces tooth, daily necessary Special attention give to interdental spaces. because food debris gets stuck in them, on which plaque—microorganisms—grows very quickly. The interdental spaces are cleaned with special dental flosses without damaging the gums. The floss is carefully inserted between the teeth, bypasses the gums, and removes plaque and food debris from the teeth in the interdental spaces.

Every day you need to finish brushing your teeth with a special rinse, preferably herbal (you can make an infusion yourself). It is important that your daily mouthwash does not contain alcohol or chlorhexidine. Rinse aid contact time oral cavity— 30 sec.

It is also necessary to brush your teeth after every meal. For this, people with healthy teeth will fit chewing gum, which can be used to clean the oral cavity only after eating for no more than 5-7 minutes. In some cases, chewing gum can be harmful for patients with problem teeth, so mouth rinses can be used after meals. Talk to your dentist about how to properly brush your teeth after each meal in your case.

How to choose a toothbrush

Your dentist's advice will be of great help in choosing a toothbrush. A soft brush may not clean your teeth as effectively, and hard bristles can damage your enamel and gums. Most often, a medium-hard brush is used. Many people are interested in what is better - an electric brush or an ordinary one. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth electric brush no more than 2-3 times a week, because... otherwise the enamel may be damaged.

Good reviews about ultrasonic brushes. They allow you to remove plaque in hard to reach places due to ultrasonic vibrations that lift plaque from the surface. Recommended for sensitive teeth, braces, periodontal diseases, and other situations where mechanical cleaning is difficult. However, the features of such brushes are quite high price, as well as the presence of contraindications - for cancer patients, persons with cardiovascular, mental illness, pacemaker and children under 9 years of age.

Choosing a toothpaste

The paste should also be used taking into account the oral condition of each person. One has sensitive teeth - a special toothpaste is needed to reduce sensitivity. Another has such microflora in his mouth that plaque builds up very quickly - he needs an antibacterial one. In the third case, there may be bleeding gums - a paste is needed for gum health. Very often all this can be combined, then a combined action paste is needed.

When choosing a paste manufacturer, you must also focus on your feelings. After all, it is very important that brushing your teeth is comfortable, and if the taste of the toothpaste causes nausea, a person is unlikely to benefit from it. It happens that, apparently due to the individual characteristics of the oral microflora, after brushing your teeth with certain pastes, after some time a film forms on the oral mucosa, which creates discomfort. In this case, it is better to replace the paste.

Many people want to make their teeth lighter and for this they constantly use whitening toothpastes. Here you need to know that modern whitening pastes most often contain enzymes that promote more easy removal dental plaque. Although these pastes do not harm the enamel, they can only be used daily for 1-2 months. Highly abrasive whitening toothpastes (used mainly for smokers) are more effective, but also dangerous to the enamel. They can only be used 1-2 times a week.

How much toothpaste do you need?

Many people mindlessly squeeze toothpaste along their toothbrush because advertising taught them to do so: back in the 40s, a guy on an advertising poster carefully squeezed toothpaste along the brush. The fact is that the task of marketers is to teach us to buy more than necessary and thus sell us as many products as possible.

The main task of toothpaste is to provide mechanical cleaning of the surface of the teeth with a brush. The paste is designed to soften the hardness of the brush, reduce its trauma and soften plaque. Too much a large number of paste reduces the effectiveness of the toothbrush.

So how much toothpaste should you squeeze onto your brush for effective brushing? Every dentist will tell you that there should be a “pea-sized amount” of toothpaste on your brush.

How to brush your teeth correctly

It must be said that germs need to be removed not only from the teeth, but also from the tongue and cheeks. This will protect your mouth even better. And yet, oral hygiene begins with brushing your teeth.

It is very important not only what we brush our teeth with, but also how. How well we remove plaque from our teeth depends on the movements we make with a toothbrush.

Movements with a toothbrush should be vertical, as if sweeping bacteria from the gums to the cutting edge of the tooth (dentists call it “sweeping” movements). Why not horizontal or circular? Horizontal and circular movements contribute to the fact that plaque accumulates even more in the interdental recesses. In addition, as a result of horizontal movements, we can get a so-called wedge-shaped defect.

It not only makes the smile less attractive, but also greatly increases the sensitivity of the teeth, making them more late stages leads to periodontal disease and tooth loss.

So, let's start brushing our teeth.

1. Taking the brush in your hands and rinsing it well with water, apply pea-sized paste. You can apply more paste, but then it will create a lot of foam, which will interfere with cleaning.

2. Upper teeth: bring the brush to the top edge at an angle 45 degrees.

3. We begin to produce vertical movements(V in this case top down). There are 3-4 movements around each tooth. We start with the back teeth and move to the front.

4. We do the same with inside upper teeth: brush at an angle of 45 degrees, sweeping movements. As soon as we reach the front teeth, starting with the fangs, we change the position of the brush and make the same movements, only in the position of the brush, as shown in the figure:

5. We clean the chewing surfaces of the teeth with horizontal movements, back and forth movements are allowed, but it is better to “sweep out” the plaque again from the back teeth to the front.

8. At the end we clean the tongue, because a lot of microorganisms accumulate on it. Movements from the root of the tongue to the tip.

10. Tear it off dental floss(floss) and clean the interdental spaces, starting from the back teeth to the front. You cannot clean different interdental spaces with the same piece of floss, because... in this way we will transfer bacteria from the previous area to the next one. It is convenient to tear off about 30 cm of thread and place it between 2 index fingers, leaving a few centimeters for cleaning. As you clean, wrap the used thread around one of your fingers. Be careful not to injure your gums.

11. Rinse your mouth with mouthwash for 30 seconds.

After brushing your teeth, make sure that Toothbrush before the next use I didn’t “pick up” any extra microbes. To do this, it is recommended to soap it and leave it in this state until next time. Be sure to rinse it well before use. Brush your teeth only with your own toothbrush, and do not forget to change it for a new one at least once every 2-3 months.