Blog Coburg Dental Group

Having good daily oral hygiene is very important if you want to spare yourself a lot of pain and money. Flossing, brushing and using mouthwash everyday are your biggest hopes of avoiding tooth decay, gingivitis, gum disease and other painful and expensive problems. Despite the fact that these are activities we do (or should be doing) everyday, not everyone knows the proper procedure, or which products will be the most beneficial. In this post, we’ll discuss the appropriate way to brush, floss and use mouthwash, as well as which products are the best on the current Australian market.

How to Brush Your Teeth

To properly brush your teeth, you’ll need to place your toothbrush at a 45 degree angle, then gently move the brush back and forth in short strokes. Make sure to brush the outer, inner and chewing surfaces of the teeth, including those hard to reach spots in the back. To clean the inside surfaces, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down motions.

Best Toothbrushes in Australia

One of our favourite toothbrushes is the Colgate 360 Degree Extra Soft Toothbrush. It honestly makes your mouth feel cleaner when you use it. The soft bristles are ideal for anybody, but even better if you have sensitive teeth. They don’t damage the gums at all, and the shape of the bristles makes it easier to reach those hard to reach spots in the back. The cheek and tongue cleaner truly works, as well, making your whole mouth feel much fresher.

For electronic toothbrushes, we love the Oral B 5000 or 7000 series of toothbrushes. Easy to use and it removes up to 6 times more plaque than a manual toothbrush. There’s even a timer so that you spend the recommended two minutes brushing twice a day with an App to your mobile phone.

How to Floss

You should be flossing at least once a day. The right way to do it is to gather about 30 to 40 centimeters of floss and wind most of it around each middle finger. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and index finger and gently slide it up and down between your teeth. Make sure you’re gently curving the floss around the base of each tooth, going under the gum line. Do not snap or force the floss, and use the same back and forth motion to bring the floss up away from the teeth.

Best Floss in Australia

There are two types of dental floss: Nylon and PTFE or single filament. Nylon can be waxed or unwaxed and comes in flavours. It can tear or shred since it’s composed of many strands of nylon. Single filament floss is more expensive, but it glides easily between all teeth and is shred-resistant.

We love Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Deep Clean Floss in Cool Mint. It is a PTFE dental floss so it is strong, shred-resistant and it gives you a nice, cool, clean feeling when you floss. Colgate dental ribbon is a cheaper and acceptable alternative.

How to Use Mouthwash

To properly mouthwash, first pour the correct amount according to the manufacturer into your mouth. You want to swish and rinse vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds. You can use the current solution to gargle before spitting.

 

Best Mouthwash in Australia

A favourite mouthwash of ours is Oral B Tooth and Gum Care. It is an anti-cavity fluoride rinse that not only kills bad breath germs, but also restores minerals to soft spots in your teeth and strengthens enamel to prevent tooth decay. It is very important to choose a mouthwash with fluoride in it for this reason.

An alternative mouthwash is Listerine Zero.  It’s advantage is that it has no alcohol in its formulation.

Preventative dentistry isn’t complete without a bi-annual visit to the dental hygienist. Contact Coburg Dental Group today or book an appointment online.