Most of us think we know how to clean teeth properly. But are we really doing it the correct way? Correct teeth cleaning allows not only to maintain a healthy smile. It also affects the functioning of the entire body. Caries can form in unclean teeth, and excess bacteria can cause gum disease and periodontitis. Through blood circulation, bacteria from diseased teeth can cause disease elsewhere in the body. That is why it is worth knowing how to clean teeth properly in order to avoid many types of health problems. Correct teeth cleaning step by step is divided into six steps:
Rinsing the mouth with water
You should rinse your mouth thoroughly, twice and with warm water, when you start to clean your teeth. This helps to get rid of food debris and prepares teeth for further cleaning.
Cleaning the interdental spaces
We often forget about this step in everyday teeth cleaning, though it is extremely important. Food debris accumulates in the spaces between the teeth and, if not removed, leads to the development of caries. This is easily remedied by flossing your teeth each time before you brush them. You can use traditional floss for this purpose, but for greater convenience, you can also choose floss on a special holder. We describe exactly how to floss, along with graphics, in the article on oral hygiene. The use of dental floss reduces the risk of caries forming between the teeth.
Rinsing the mouth again with water or using a water flosser
Before brushing, you should rinse your mouth thoroughly with water again. This helps to get rid of food debris that was removed from the interdental spaces with the floss. At this stage, it is also worth using a water flosser to clean the interdental spaces of food residues even better. You can read more about the water flosser and how to use it in our article on oral hygiene.
Cleaning with the toothbrush
Brushing is the most important step in teeth cleaning, for which of course you need a good toothbrush. Electric toothbrushes are much more effective in cleaning teeth than manual toothbrushes. It is also worth mentioning that electric rotary toothbrushes are more effective than sonic electric toothbrushes, which only vibrate. Using an electric toothbrush, we press each tooth for one to two seconds on each of the three surfaces: the front, the back and the masticatory surface. In the case of manual toothbrushes, make circular movements brushing the three sides of each tooth. The brushing time is important: a minimum of 3 minutes is necessary to thoroughly brush all teeth. The longer the brushing time, the better, but remember not to use excessive force when brushing. This can lead to damages and bleeding gums. In the worst case, the gums can recede, exposing the teeth roots and causing hypersensitivity to heat and cold. When it comes to toothpastes, it is worth choosing those containing fluoride, which strengthens the tooth enamel.
Rinsing again with water
The penultimate step is a thorough rinse of the mouth to remove toothpaste and debris. You can use warm water for this, rinsing twice or three times.
Using mouthwash in the morning and evening
Finally, it is a good idea to use a mouthwash such as Listerine. It has an antibacterial effect, thus reducing the amount of bacteria in the mouth. Regular use of mouthwashes is scientifically proven to reduce the risk of gingivitis and periodontitis. Mouthwashes are of great help in the daily hygiene of teeth and gums. However, do not use them more than twice a day, or according to the restrictions described on their label.
Clean your teeth correctly at least twice a day and your teeth will stay healthier for longer. Through thorough oral hygiene, we reduce the likelihood of tooth decay or gingivitis and periodontitis. It is always better for health and cheaper for the patient to prevent diseases than to treat them. In order to clean teeth properly it is not required a lot of effort, but only regularity and the knowledge how to clean your teeth correctly. However, tartar and plaque can still build up on the teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach. Therefore, even frequent and correct teeth cleaning may still not stop caries. Therefore, in order to maintain healthy teeth, additional visits to the dentist for a checkup are necessary twice a year. During such a visit, the dentist can also perform procedures such as scaling and air powder polishing to further clean the teeth. You can read more about these treatments in our article on oral hygiene.
