Brushing teeth? Who can't do it? Hey, you really shouldn't be so confident... Doctors from the Periodontal Department of Sun Yat-sen University's Affiliated Stomatology Hospital have found that many patients coming for treatment neither have good tooth-brushing habits nor know the correct way to brush their teeth!
Periodontal disease is one of the main reasons for tooth loss. Dr. Deng Yuquan, a specialist physician in the Periodontal Department, said, "Periodontal disease cannot be cured, only alleviated. Developing good oral hygiene habits not only reduces the likelihood of developing periodontal disease but also improves treatment outcomes." For this reason, the doctors installed educational videos on how to brush teeth correctly and use dental floss on their work computers, allowing patients to watch during their waiting time. For first-time patients, the doctors also provide one-on-one coaching using models.
To achieve ideal results in periodontal disease treatment, besides medical diagnosis and treatment, the patient's own good oral hygiene habits are crucial. Dr. Deng particularly reminds us that there are several points to note when brushing teeth correctly:
Firstly, choose the right texture for your toothbrush. The brush head should be about the size of a coin's diameter, with bristles not too hard, and preferably with tips that have been rounded.
Secondly, ensure comprehensive cleaning. Don't miss any part - upper teeth, lower teeth, front teeth, molars, labial-buccal surfaces, palatal-lingual surfaces, occlusal surfaces, and even the terminal ends of molars.
Thirdly, use the correct brushing technique. When brushing the lingual and buccal surfaces, hold the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth and gently move up and down to clean the teeth, gaps, and gumline junctions (the gumline junction is often neglected). Vigorous back-and-forth horizontal brushing will only harm the teeth.
Fourthly, ensure sufficient brushing time. Each area of the teeth should be brushed repeatedly 3-4 times. Brush both morning and night, with nighttime brushing being more important than in the morning. (By Liang Jianfang)