Dental Hygiene: This is the right order to brush teeth, floss, and use mouthwash
We know you have a routine for your body, your face, and even your hair. But what about your dental routine? A little TLC goes a long way when it comes to oral hygiene. Having a dental routine to follow twice a day in a specific order will ensure that you pay fewer visits to the dentist’s clinic. We know it’s hard to dedicate time to learning and following another step-by-step list. But once you get a hang of this one, it’ll just become second practice. We are here to ensure that we’ve done the homework for you, so just follow these four steps for a sparkling smile.
1. Start with Mouthwash
It’s not uncommon to use mouthwash towards the end of your routine. Many have always used mouthwash as the last step to cleanse thoroughly and have fresh breath. Dr. Riddhi Katara, who is awarded Maharashtra’s Best Cosmetic Dentist 2020 and owner of Experteeth Dental Care explains what the best strategy is to kickstart your dental routine. She suggests that the best way to start your day is to ditch traditional alcohol-based mint mouthwashes and resort to coconut oil.
Oil pulling is a method where you measure one tablespoon of oil and swish it around in your mouth for 2-3 minutes before you spit it out. The method makes sure to kill the bacteria in your mouth and will rid you of bad breath. It will also help prevent cavities and improve overall gum health. Dr. Riddhi says, “it’ll have amazing skin benefits as well”. She says “organically the best mouthwash available everywhere is extra virgin coconut oil”. She knows that for most, taste is an issue, but with practice and patience, it gets easy.
2. Take your time to Brush
When it comes to brushing time and technique matter a lot. Dr. Riddhi explains you must always brush for 2-3 minutes and “circular and vertical motions are best”. She recommends automated toothbrushes as they do the work for you. They make sure to get between all teeth and cover all motions by targeting smaller sections.
When it comes to selecting your toothpaste, don’t overthink it. As long as you’re using enough to cover your toothbrush, you’re all good. Just make sure to brush twice daily and for long enough.
3. Next comes Floss
Dr. Riddhi suggests ditching the stick floss and opting for traditional thread floss as the next step in your routine. She’s a fan of the old-school way and instructs that you should take your time and go over the gaps between all teeth. You can floss once a day in your morning routine and you will see long-term benefits soon after.
For tea and coffee drinkers, Dr. Riddhi recommends tooth wet wipes that are easily available in the market. She explains that between meals and drinks, these wipes would combat the accumulation of stains that most people complain about. So when in doubt, always use the tooth wipes.
4. Don’t neglect your Tongue
If you’ve ever had bad breath, it’s your tongue to blame. We often neglect our tongue when it comes to our dental hygiene. Our teeth are used to getting all the attention, but it’s the tongue that harbors all bacteria and increases the chances of bad breath.
“Scraping your tongue is important, twice daily but, especially in the morning”, Dr. Riddhi says. So use a metal tongue scraper or your toothbrush to clean your tongue in vertical and circular motions. If not cleaned regularly the tongue forms a coating on top which is the major reason for bad breath.
Dr. Riddhi’s last tip was to opt for a sugar-free mint if you are a mint-lover. These are the four steps you must follow for optimum dental hygiene. Although you won’t see immediate results, keeping up with this routine will benefit you in the long run. The dedicated time that you give to your teeth will be one of the best investments you can make for yourself.
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