Beyond the Toothbrush: Innovative Oral Hygiene Aids

Good oral health and hygiene are essential for both your physical and emotional well-being. It can positively impact your appearance, interpersonal relations, diet, nutrition, and speech. Special dental tools are needed to achieve this goal.

Pacific Beach dental practice offers its patients a comprehensive understanding of oral hygiene aids through patient education. It helps to reform your oral health and overall general wellness.

What are oral hygiene aids?

Oral hygiene aids are special dental tools and appliances that help to keep your oral cavity clean and free from plaque and bacteria. These two are prime factors that cause several dental issues, like tooth decay, periodontal disease, and halitosis (bad breath).

What is the importance of oral hygiene aids?

Plaque is a natural sticky film present on your teeth surfaces. Proper oral hygiene practices through dental tools help eliminate excess plaque. If not removed, excess plaque accumulation can lead to bacterial infiltration. These factors have an interrelationship that causes dental problems that could eventually lead to tooth loss.

Without proper oral hygiene, your body’s natural defenses can also be affected. This can pave the way for several systemic diseases like diabetes.

What are the types of oral hygiene aids?

There are several types of oral hygiene aids, such as:

Toothbrushes

Currently, electric toothbrushes are recommended by dentists since they offer more precision and dexterity benefits than manual brushes.
The vibrating or rotary motions can dislodge the plaque effectively.

Dental flosses

It is a common interdental and subgingival cleaner that is made up of nylon or polyethylene.
It can remove plaque and food particles from between the teeth.

Interdental cleaners

These are used in combination with floss to remove the plaque by cleaning the contours of the teeth.

Mouth rinses

These are chemical solutions in low concentration that eliminate plaque, reduce bad breath, and prevent cavities.
These are usually used after brushing and flossing.

Oral irrigators

These contain tiny jets that spray water into the pockets to remove plaque from below the gumline and reduce the risk of gum disease.

Tongue cleaners

These are designed to remove plaque and food debris in front of the tongue surface.
Tongue cleaning should be done prior to brushing to prevent ingestion of fungi and bacteria.

Rubber tip stimulators

This is an excellent tool for removing plaque from around the gum line, in addition to stimulating blood flow to the gums.

Takeaway

Establishing good oral hygiene has been proven to be essential to achieving and maintaining overall physical and emotional well-being throughout life. A healthy mouth leads to a healthy body and soul.