Oral care products. Oral care Oral hygiene products

To prevent unpleasant diseases, you need to know how to properly care for your teeth and oral cavity. In this article we will provide you with a large amount of information on this matter and share useful recommendations and hygiene rules.

After reading the tips in this publication, you will take better care of your teeth, which will help you avoid problems with them in the future.

Five basic rules

To properly and effectively brush your teeth, you must strictly adhere to the following:

1. Comprehensive care - a toothbrush, no matter how carefully you use it, will not be able to reach all corners of the mouth, especially the space between the teeth, where plaque and harmful bacteria will constantly accumulate, which will eventually lead to the appearance of caries and other diseases. Therefore, also mouth rinses.
2. We update the arsenal - if dental floss and rinses do not require updating (the latter only deteriorate when their expiration date expires), then the brush must be changed every 3 months.
3. Expensive, not always of high quality - you should not rely on the most expensive products; the dentist’s recommendations and your personal experience will be more important. Of course, sometimes you have to pay a high price for a good result, but not always (this is not the most important factor).
4. Regularity and thoroughness - the procedures should be repeated twice a day (the cleaning process should last from 3 minutes): after the morning meal and before going to bed.
5. Visit the dentist – we visit a specialist preferably 2 times a year.

Only comprehensive implementation of three basic rules will be an effective means of prevention. Otherwise, it will not give the desired results, and the resources spent will not protect against tooth loss.

Oral hygiene products

To effectively care for your teeth and mouth, you should use a number of products:

• brush;
• paste;
• a thread;
• rinse aid;
• Sometimes you can resort to chewing gum.

Toothbrushes

A toothbrush, although not perfect, is the main element of care; it accounts for about 90% of all teeth cleaning work. Therefore, its choice is one of the most important stages.

Criteria:

• toothbrush hardness - there are three types: medium, soft and hard. The latter are suitable for cleaning dentures, the medium ones are suitable for people with normal tooth sensitivity, and the soft ones are suitable for children and those with sensitive teeth or problem gums;
• electric or conventional - the cost of an electric brush is higher, but the cleaning effect is more noticeable. Do not forget that the attachments for them need to be changed once every 3 months. The power source for them can be either batteries or an accumulator.

Dental floss

Floss is an integral part of comprehensive oral care, since it is the only remedy that can effectively clean the interdental space (there are others, but they are noticeably more expensive).

Now there are a lot of dental floss on the market and you should choose them according to certain criteria:

• We recommend choosing flat threads with lubricant to avoid injury to the gums - lubricant not only reduces friction, but also has an antibacterial effect, which is very effective for the prevention of dental diseases;
• waxed or unwaxed – the former are better for beginners, they are more durable and easier to use;
• the threads can be fluoridated - this should provide the teeth with additional protection from diseases. But they must be used carefully and after consulting a dentist, since excessive amounts of fluoride can seriously harm your teeth;
• synthetic or silk - in most cases, flosses are made from synthetic materials, more expensive ones are made from silk. If you choose the first option, be sure to make sure that the composition does not contain allergens (information is available on the packaging).

Pastes

• watch for the presence of fluoride - it is presented as a very useful element of toothpaste and this is true, but only in certain cases, for example, for the prevention of caries. If you already suffer from this disease or have (an excess of fluoride in the body, as a result of which the teeth become covered with characteristic stains), then this remedy is contraindicated for you;
• the most expensive pastes do not guarantee the most positive effect - it depends on a combination of factors, including the body’s predisposition to a particular product or its components;
• Whitening pastes do not always bring the desired effect, and when choosing one, it is better to consult a dentist.

It is best to opt for a complex paste or a therapeutic and prophylactic one.

Rinse aids

Mouthwashes are the most complex of all the products listed above, since their effect extends not only to the teeth, but also to the entire oral cavity. Nuances of choice:

• preventive or therapeutic - the former provide comprehensive care for your mouth, while the latter act on a specific problem (for example, bleeding gums) and can only be used after a dental consultation;
• the composition of the rinse aid - make sure that it does not contain allergens. All the necessary information can be found on the packaging or ask a specialist about it;
• select a rinse in accordance with the toothpastes you already use - in this case, the effect of their use will be much higher.

How to properly care for your teeth? Step-by-step instruction

To effectively care for your oral cavity, you should do it consistently and constantly. It is recommended to have a clear algorithm of actions:

1. We brush our teeth equally thoroughly both from the outside and from the inside, the brush should move from bottom to top (from the gums to the end of the tooth). After this, you can clean the chewing surface of your teeth.
2. You need to press on the brush, but you shouldn’t apply too much force - this can cause harm (especially in the case of sensitive teeth or gums).
3. The next step is to clean your tongue, since this is where a large number of harmful bacteria accumulate. You can take care of your tongue with a regular toothbrush; as a rule, there is a special ribbed surface on the back of it. Use not too firm movements to move from the root to the tip of the tongue. Important! If possible, it is recommended to use special means (for example, a tongue scraper). You can also clean the inside of your cheeks in the same way.

1. After these procedures, you need to thoroughly rinse your mouth with clean water and proceed to the next stage - cleaning the interdental space from plaque using dental floss:
   – take the floss (a 20-25 cm piece), wrap it around the index fingers of both hands;
   – begin to pull the floss between the teeth, gradually lowering it;
   – repeat the procedure for each tooth gap: first the front teeth, then slowly move towards the back teeth. Use a new section of floss for each new tooth joint, otherwise you may spread infection from the diseased area of ​​your mouth to the healthy area.
2. The last step is to use a mouthwash, a small amount of which (1 tablespoon) should be put into your mouth. Then thoroughly rinse each area of ​​your mouth with it (about 2 minutes).

These steps should be performed twice a day: in the morning (after breakfast) and in the evening (before bed).

At first glance, such a thorough cleaning of the oral cavity will require too much time, but after some time you will adapt and the procedure will take no more than 7-8 minutes.

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Features of care for children

The first step is to debunk the myth that there is no need to care for a child’s baby teeth. The lack of preventive measures will lead to serious problems with permanent teeth, and visits to the dentist at such an early age do not promise anything pleasant for either the child or the parents.

Therefore, it is worth starting care from the moment the first teeth appear; this must be done carefully and gradually, but regularly.

• the first brush should be soft and have a small cleaning surface;
• it is very important to monitor its composition: look for a note on the packaging regarding the possibility of its use by children indicating the age;
• baby toothpaste must be as organic as possible, but it is necessary to monitor the presence of allergens in its composition;
• Pastes with a high fluoride content will be undesirable - they can lead to disruption of the development of both milk and permanent teeth;
• You should definitely consult a pediatrician and dentist - this will not only give you the opportunity to get recommendations on the choice of children's hygiene products, but will also accustom your child to regular medical examinations.

At the time of changing baby teeth, in addition to the oral care described above, it is necessary to monitor the quality of drinking water and food; if it contains too much fluoride, its dosage should be reduced, and vice versa.

After the final change of teeth, you can use the same products and in the same order to clean your mouth as for adults.

Even with careful daily care, 30–40% of the resulting plaque remains on the surface of the teeth. After all, it is not possible to fully clean the interdental spaces and subgingival spaces with a brush, few use dental floss, and only a few use a home irrigator. Therefore, it is advisable to undergo professional teeth cleaning to remove plaque and tartar twice a year.

Professional hygiene includes diagnosing existing dental problems and subsequent step-by-step cleaning of plaque and stone. If necessary, local anesthesia is used.

First, soft and hard deposits are removed from the visible surfaces of the teeth and from the spaces between them using ultrasound. In this case, the enamel is not damaged, because plaque and stone seem to peel off from it. At the next stage, the subgingival spaces are treated. To do this, use special hand tools that do not damage teeth and, if used correctly, do not injure gums.

If the plaque is pigmented (from tea, coffee, nicotine, some medications), then in addition to ultrasound, an Air Flow device is used. He cleans his teeth using a jet spray of sodium bicarbonate aerosol.

After removing the stone, it is necessary to polish the enamel, which will protect it from the attachment of bacteria and the deposition of plaque. To do this, polishing pastes are used, which are applied with special attachments in the form of brushes and rubber bands. And in places where teeth touch, special strips are used.

At the final stage of professional cleaning, fluoride-containing varnish is applied to the enamel. This remedy gives her additional protection and relieves the increased sensitivity of the treated teeth.

Products for oral hygiene at home

For complete oral care at home, you will need a set of several products. Often people limit themselves to a toothbrush and toothpaste, but this does not allow for proper cleaning of the interdental spaces. But bacteria and food debris accumulate here. Therefore, it is advisable to additionally use other means.

Toothbrushes

The toothbrush is selected individually. When purchasing it, you need to take into account the stiffness of the bristles, size, and ease of grip of the handle. Most people use medium-hard brushes. Soft bristles will be needed for cleaning sensitive teeth and bleeding gums, and hard bristles will be needed for completely healthy teeth and for caring for dentures. You should brush your teeth twice a day for about 2 minutes. The brush should be changed every 3 months.

Toothpastes

Toothpaste is an important oral care product. Pastes are therapeutic and prophylactic, cream and gel-like, with different fluoride content. Medicinal pastes are selected only on the recommendation of a doctor; you should not independently purchase specialized oral hygiene products for prevention.

Toothpaste should be changed every few months. In some cases, it may be necessary to use several agents with different effects. For example, if you are predisposed to the development of caries and periodontitis (inflammation of the periodontal tissues), the dentist may recommend brushing your teeth with an anti-caries paste in the morning, and with an anti-inflammatory paste in the evening.

The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) believes that oral hygiene in infants is one of the foundations on which prevention and dental care education should be built to reduce the risk of developing preventable oral diseases. The AAPD provides recommendations for prevention strategies, oral health risk assessment, preventive measures, and therapeutic interventions that training programs for dentists, physicians, nurses, and allied health professions should follow.

This guideline is an update of the previous guideline on infant oral care, revised in 2009. This revision included a manual literature search as well as a new search of the MEDLINE/PubMed® electronic database using the following parameters:

Terms: infant oral health, infant oral care and bottle caries; Fields: All;

Restrictions: within the last 10 years, human subjects, English language and clinical research. Publications for review were selected from the resulting list of 449 articles and from the reference lists of individual articles. In cases where evidence was insufficient or inconclusive, recommendations were based on expert opinion and/or consensus from experienced researchers and clinicians.

general information

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that tooth decay is the most common infectious disease in our nation's children.

More than 40 percent of children already have tooth decay by the time they reach kindergarten age. In contrast to the decline in the prevalence of dental caries among children in older age groups, the prevalence of dental caries in low-income American children under five years of age is increasing.

"Bottle caries" (BC) and the more severe form of bottle caries (BCC) can be a particularly dangerous form of caries that begins soon after teeth erupt, develops on smooth surfaces, progresses rapidly and has long-term negative effects on the dentition. This disease occurs throughout the population, but is 32 times more likely to develop in children of low socioeconomic status, who are fed a diet high in sugar, and whose mothers have low levels of education.

Decay in primary teeth can affect children's development, cause significant pain and potentially life-threatening infections, and reduce overall quality of life. Because general practitioners see young mothers and infants much more often than dentists, it is important that they are aware of the infectious etiology and associated risk factors for bottle caries so that they can make appropriate decisions regarding timely and effective intervention, and also promote visits to dental care centers for children.

Caries

Caries is a common chronic infectious vector-borne disease caused by specific bacteria found on teeth, mainly Streptococcus mutans (SM), metabolizing sugars to form acid, which over time demineralizes the tooth structure. In general, SM is considered to be the main group of bacterial organisms responsible for the initiation of dental caries.

Colonization of SM in infants is possible from birth. Significant colonization occurs after the eruption of teeth, since teeth provide non-replaceable (permanent) surfaces for colonization by bacteria. Other surfaces can also be colonized by SM. For example, the tongue grooves appear to be an important ecological niche for bacterial colonization in edentulous infants.

The vertical transmission of Streptococcus mutans from mother to child has been described in detail. Streptococcus mutans genotypes in children were identical to SM genotypes in mothers in 17 reports, ranging from 24 to 100 percent of cases. The higher the concentration of Streptococcus mutans in the mother's saliva, the greater the risk of oral colonization in the infant.

Along with salivary SM concentrations, maternal oral hygiene, periodontal disease, meal frequency, and socioeconomic status are also associated with infant oral colonization. It has been shown that horizontal transmission (ie transmission between group members, such as between siblings of similar ages or between children in a daycare center) may also be a problem. Tooth decay is a disease that is generally preventable. Early risk assessment allows the identification of parent-infant groups who are at risk of developing bottle caries and would benefit from early preventive intervention. The ultimate goal of early assessment is to provide timely necessary information to populations at high risk of caries development to prevent the need for subsequent surgical intervention.

Prevention of caries

Assessing infant caries risk allows for appropriate strategies to be implemented as primary teeth erupt. However, even the most well-designed and implemented caries risk assessment may not identify all children at risk of developing bottle caries.

In these cases, the mother may not be the source of colonization of the infant's oral flora, the amount of simple carbohydrates in the diet may be extremely high, or there may be a combination of other uncontrollable factors that determine the infant's risk of caries.

Thus, screening for caries risk in parent and child, combined with oral health counseling, cannot replace early referral to dental care centers for children.

Early visits to pediatric dental care centers, including bottle tooth decay prevention, are the ideal approach to infant oral care.

Incorporating education regarding the infectious and transmissible nature of the bacteria that cause bottle caries, as well as oral disease risk assessment, preventative measures and early intervention, into the training of doctors, nurses and allied professionals has been shown to be effective in establishing dental care centers for children .

Recent studies, noting that most pediatricians and general dentists did not advise patients to visit a dentist by age one year, indicate a need for increased education on aspects of infant oral health in the medical and dental communities.

Oral Health Education: All primary care providers who work with parents and infants should provide patients with information about the etiology and prevention of bottle caries. Teaching parents ways to avoid sharing saliva (eg, sharing spoons and other utensils, sharing cups, licking a dropped pacifier or toy) may help prevent early colonization by Streptococcus mutans in infants.

Thorough examination of the oral cavity: Referral for thorough oral examination and treatment during pregnancy is especially important for the mother.

Professional oral care: Regular professional dental care for parents can help improve oral health. Treatment of active caries followed by restoration of remaining tooth structure in the parents suppresses the Streptococcus mutans reservoir and minimizes transmission of SM to the infant, thereby reducing the risk of developing bottle caries in the infant.

Oral hygiene: Parent brushing with fluoride toothpaste and floss is important to remove food debris and reduce bacterial plaque.

Diet: Nutrition education for parents includes the cariogenic properties of certain foods and beverages, the role of frequency of consumption of these substances, and the process of demineralization/remineralization.

Fluorine: Using fluoride toothpaste and rinsing with an alcohol-free, over-the-counter mouth rinse containing 0.05% sodium fluoride once daily or a mouth rinse containing 0.02% sodium fluoride twice daily is thought to promote reduction of dental plaque and remineralization of enamel.

Chewing gum with xylitol: Evidence suggests that maternal use of xylitol chewing gum (at least two to three times daily) has a significant effect on mother-to-child transmission of Streptococcus mutans and a reduction in the incidence of dental caries in the child.

Oral disease risk assessment: Every child should receive an oral health risk assessment from their primary care physician or qualified health professional by the time they reach six months of age. This initial evaluation should include an assessment of the patient's risk of developing soft and hard oral tissue diseases, including assessment of caries risk, infant oral hygiene education, and assessment and optimization of fluoride exposure.

Visiting a dental care center for children: Parents should visit a dental care center for their infant by the time the infant reaches 12 months of age.

The first visit should include a complete medical (child) and dental (parents and child) history, a thorough oral examination, demonstration of age-appropriate tooth brushing, and prophylaxis and treatment with fluoride varnish when indicated.

In addition, an assessment of the infant's caries risk should be performed and a preventative plan and intervals for periodic follow-up examinations should be determined. If specialized intervention is necessary, infants should be referred to an appropriate specialist. It is also important at the first visit to provide precautionary advice regarding dental and oral development, fluoride, sucking habits for non-edible objects, teething, injury prevention, oral hygiene instructions, and the impact of diet on dental development.

Teething: Teething may cause intermittent local discomfort in the area of ​​the erupting primary teeth, irritability and excessive salivation; However, many children do not experience any visible difficulties. Treatment of symptoms includes oral analgesics and refrigerated chewable rings for the child. The use of local anesthetics, including over-the-counter teething gels, to reduce discomfort is not recommended due to the potential toxicity of these drugs in infants.

Oral hygiene: Oral hygiene should begin no later than the eruption of the first milk tooth. One parent should brush the child's teeth twice daily, using an age-appropriate, soft toothbrush and the correct amount of fluoride toothpaste (see Fluoride section below).

Diet: Epidemiological studies show that breast milk and infant breastfeeding provide overall health, nutritional and developmental benefits, as well as psychological, social, economic and environmental benefits; at the same time, the risk of developing a large number of acute and chronic diseases is significantly reduced.

Human breast milk clearly provides the best nutrition for infants and is not epidemiologically associated with dental caries. Frequent nighttime bottle feedings and unrestricted breastfeeding are associated with the development of bottle tooth decay, but do not always cause the disease.

Feeding breast milk more than seven times a day after a baby reaches 12 months of age is associated with an increased risk of bottle tooth decay. Late night feedings of juice from a bottle, repeated use of a sippy cup or sippy cup, and frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened snacks or between-meal drinks (eg, juice, formula, soda) increase the risk of tooth decay.

Habits of high sugar foods appear to be established by 12 months of age and persist throughout early childhood.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages one to six years drink no more than four to six ounces (129 to 180 ml) of fruit juice per day, from a cup (that is, not from a bottle or cup with a lid) and as part of meals or snack.

Fluorides: Optimal fluoride intake is important for all teething infants and children. Decisions regarding fluoride administration are based on the unique needs of each patient.

The use of fluoride for the prevention and control of dental caries has been documented to be safe and effective. When determining the risk versus benefit of fluoride, the key issue is the balance between mild fluorosis and the prevention of severe dental damage. The correct amount of fluoride toothpaste should be used twice a day.

For children under three years of age, the amount of fluoride toothpaste should be no more than a match head or a grain of rice; For children aged three to six years, the amount of fluoride toothpaste should be no more than a pea. In children at high risk for dental caries, the use of topical fluoride, such as fluoride varnish, as used by professionals, should be considered.

For all children at risk of developing dental caries who drink water with low levels of fluoride (less than 0.6 ppm), oral fluoride should be considered after identifying all other sources of fluoride in the diet.

Close monitoring of fluoride intake is recommended when using fluoride-containing products. Cumulative fluoride intake during enamel development is associated with the development of fluorosis.

Injury Prevention: Clinicians should provide age-appropriate advice to prevent injuries to the face and mouth. Initial discussions will include play objects, pacifiers, car seats, and electrical cords.

Habits regarding inedible items: Sucking habits on non-edible objects (eg, thumb or pacifier sucking, bruxism, abnormal tongue thrusting) can exert force on the teeth and dentoalveolar structures. It is important to discuss the need for early sucking and the need to wean children off these habits before malocclusions or skeletal dysplasia develop.

Health care professionals and all other stakeholders in pediatric oral health should encourage attendance at a dental care center for all children by the time they reach 12 months of age. Legislators, policymakers, and third party payers should be aware of the importance of early intervention to prevent bottle caries.

Initiating Committee - Clinical Affairs Committee - Infant Oral Hygiene Subcommittee Review Board Clinical Affairs Board

Accepted - 1986

Revised 1989, 1994, 2001, 2004, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014

How can adults take care of their oral cavity?
The main rule for maintaining a healthy, beautiful smile throughout your life is to follow the rules of oral hygiene. Even in adulthood, caries and periodontitis are possible, which can lead to more serious diseases. Throughout life it is important:

• Brush your teeth at least 2 times a day with fluoride toothpaste to remove plaque, a sticky film on teeth that is the main cause of tooth decay.
• Use dental floss every day to remove plaque from between teeth and the gum line before it hardens and turns into tartar. Once tartar has mineralized, it can only be removed through professional teeth cleaning.
• Limit consumption of foods rich in sugar and starch, especially semi-liquid, sticky snacks between meals. The more often you snack, the more likely tartar acids are to attack your tooth enamel.
• Visit your dentist regularly for oral health care and professional teeth cleaning.

What are the special requirements for oral care in adulthood?
Even with proper dental and gum care, adults may need special help maintaining oral hygiene. Fortunately, your dentist can successfully meet these requirements in most cases.

• Periodontitis begins in the gingivitis stage and is reversible at this stage. Symptoms of gingivitis include redness, swelling and bleeding of the gums when brushing your teeth with a toothbrush. If you notice some of these symptoms, contact your dentist - before the disease becomes severe. In advanced stages, periodontitis can lead to tooth loss.

  Oral health can also affect the overall health of the body. Recent studies indicate an association between periodontitis and other diseases, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and a possible association between periodontitis and premature birth. To prevent periodontal disease, you should brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss every day, and have regular checkups and professional teeth cleanings from your dentist every six months.

• With age, caries may develop on previously filled tooth surfaces (known as secondary, recurrent caries), as well as on their root surfaces. Therefore, it is important to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and visit your dentist regularly.
• Teeth sensitivity also increases with age. With age, as a result of receding gums, the roots of teeth that are not protected by enamel are exposed. When temperature stimuli (cold or hot food and drinks) affect the tooth tissue, a painful sensation occurs. In special cases, pain can also be caused by osmotic (sweet, sour) stimuli and the effect of evaporation (movement of cold air). If you experience pain, you should use toothpaste specially designed for sensitive teeth. If the symptom does not go away, visit your dentist - hyperesthesia may indicate a more serious disease, such as tooth decay, or damage - the presence of a cracked or broken tooth.
• Crowns are used to strengthen damaged teeth. A crown covers or completely hides a damaged tooth. A crown not only supports a damaged tooth, it can also improve its appearance, shape, or fit with the teeth. Implants and bridges are used to replace extracted and lost teeth. Implants replace one or more teeth and can also be used to support full or partial bridges. Your dentist will help you make the right decision about dental implants. Bridges are recommended to replace one or more teeth. They cover the area where teeth are missing. Bridges are attached to natural teeth or implants located at the edges of the gap.

How to make teeth snow-white?
Having your teeth professionally cleaned by a dentist or hygienist can help remove much of the external plaque caused by eating and smoking. Use whitening toothpaste to remove stains and prevent yellowing of teeth between dental visits. If you have old plaque that has accumulated over the years, you may need professional teeth whitening to help reduce and remove staining from the outer surfaces of your teeth.

Internal tooth staining can be treated with chemical whitening or with porcelain veneers or crowns placed on discolored teeth. All whitening methods are safe and effective, but only your dentist or hygienist can determine which one is best for you, depending on the condition of your teeth and the results you want.

What effect does diet have on oral health?
A proper diet is essential for optimal overall health and for maintaining healthy gums and teeth. Eating a diet that contains all the nutrients and minerals your body needs will allow you to resist oral infections leading to the development of periodontitis. In addition, consuming tough foods high in cellulose (fruits, vegetables) helps cleanse teeth and oral tissues. Residues of soft sticky food accumulate on chewing surfaces and in the interdental spaces, contributing to the formation of plaque. When you eat foods rich in sugar and starch, the bacteria contained in tartar produce acids that attack your teeth for at least 20 minutes or more after finishing the meal. To prevent the destruction of tooth enamel, it is necessary to limit the number of snacks and drinks consumed between meals. If you need to snack, choose nutritious foods such as cheese, raw vegetables, unsweetened yogurt and fruit.