8 Facts About Oral Care

Should we rinse with a non-alcohol based mouthwash immediately after brushing? What’s the perfect angle to tilt your toothbrush? What amount of toothpaste is appropriate for young ones? These are some of the interesting questions that every family should know most especially moms. Sharing to you the 8 facts about oral care that I learned from Healthy smiles, healthy lives by Colgate Philippines.

Regular brushing of your teeth is not enough if you do not know the proper oral care. We want to keep our gums and teeth healthy. From our little ones to adulthood, we should be aware of how to take care of our family teeth properly. Let us find out with the 8 facts about oral care listed below.

8 Facts About Oral Care

1. Should we rinse with a non-alcohol based mouthwash immediately after brushing? The proper way to rinse with mouthwash is to allow 30 minutes to pass before you rinse with a mouthwash. This is to avoid  washing away the fluoride in your toothpaste. It is true that we should use a non-alcohol based mouthwash. It is also recommended to rinse with a mouthwash right before brushing to soften plaque and loosen particles in between teeth.
2. Is it true that the acidity of our food or drink must be considered before brushing our teeth? The answer is true. It is because of the acidic nature of the food we ate or juice/cola we drink, the outermost portion of the tooth is porous during this time and immediate brushing can cause enamel  abrasions exposing the dentin causing tooth sensitivity. I guess one good example is after eating a green mango. Whenever I eat green mango, I usually allow some time or eat light snacks that’s good on my teeth and drink water before brushing my teeth.
3. The incidence of cavities among Filipino children is 9 out of 10 grade 1 public school students (age 6 years old) have cavities. We can help lessen the number of Filipino kids with cavities by sharing this information. Philippines is far behind other countries in the Western Pacific Region  concerning oral health. Did you know that the most common oral health problems in the country  are dental cavities and periodontal diseases. These two dental concerns can be avoided by improving oral health conditions among pre-school children and inculcating a positive oral health behavior to children who will be entering school age. Source: http://www.doh.gov.ph/node/1066.html.
4. The perfect angle to tilt our toothbrush is 30 degrees.
5. Once a tooth is treated, the decay stops. Once cavity filled, the decay spot is removed. By taking care of our teeth, the decay from the spot that was filled will most likely stay clear. I think dental light cure pasta is the common treatment for this concern. Other reference – Stop Plaque attack: http://colgate.ph/app/AsiaEquity/PH/family/article/cavities_fy.cvsp
6. What amount of toothpaste is appropriate for young ones? As parents, we should supervise our young one’s in putting the right amount of toothpaste appropriate in their age.
   * For children under the age of 2, use a ‘smear’ of fluoridated toothpaste.
   * For children aged 2 to 5 years old, use a pea-sized amount of toothpaste.
   Other references: Oral health care for infants and children
   ** Watch how to take care for children’s teeth at How to care for children’s teeth
7. Sugar is not the only thing that causes cavities. The truth is, acid produced by bacteria in your mouth is the cause of cavities, “says Kimberly A. Harms, DDS, an American Dental Association spokeswoman. Any carb you can eat can start the process. That includes sugar, as well as rice, potatoes, bread, fruits, and vegetables.
8. There are two kinds of tooth stains: Intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic stains are those that appear on the surface of the teeth as a result of exposure to dark-colored beverages, foods and tobacco, and routine wear and tear. Superficial extrinsic stains are minor and can be removed with brushing and prophylactic dental cleaning. Stubborn extrinsic stains can be removed with more involved efforts, like teeth bleaching. Persistent extrinsic stains can penetrate into the dentin and become ingrained if they are not dealt with early. Intrinsic stains result from trauma, aging, exposure to minerals (like tetracycline) during tooth formation and/ or excessive ingestion of fluoride.

Other references:

What food stains your teeth: http://www.colgate.ph/app/AsiaEquity/PH/whitening/article/whitening_Smile_01wh.cvsp

Medicines that stain your teeth: http://www.colgate.ph/app/AsiaEquity/PH/whitening/article/Medicine_wh.cvsp

Thanks to Colgate Philippines for this #ColgateHealthySmiles helpful facts about oral care.  It is good to know that they have variety of Oral care products to keep our teeth healthy for healthy smiles.

For more updates with Colgate, you may visit them at their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ColgatePhilippines and Twitter account: @ColgatePH.