Ideal Smile: Essential Dental Care Products to Keep Your Teeth Healthy

The mouth is one of the areas of the body that’s home to over 70 different types of bacteria. And as much as a great part of them are in fact beneficial, the other part can be harmful to a person’s dental health and can often lead to dental decay and periodontal (gum) diseases.

If you’re worried and want to prevent the bad bacteria from spreading in your mouth, you should know that there’s not much you can do except for maintaining your oral hygiene as the only defence against the bacteria.

When one mentions oral hygiene, the first thing that probably comes to your mind is brushing your teeth. Truth to be told, brushing your teeth is very important, but is often not enough to keep the bacteria at bay. Luckily, nowadays there are a lot of products you can find on the market as a way to boost your dental care routine and prevent cavities, bad mouth odour and other problems. Here are some essential dental care products for your oral health in addition to your toothbrush and your toothpaste.

Mouthwash

Most people think that the only purpose of the mouthwash is to keep their breath fresh for longer and that it doesn’t have any significant impact on their oral health. If you’re part of this group, I’m sorry to say that you were wrong the whole time. The reasons to include mouthwash in your daily dental care routine go far beyond the fresh feeling in your mouth.

You may feel that your teeth are clean after brushing them, but rinsing your mouth with a mouthwash kills all the bacteria stuck in hard to clean spots such as in your gums and on your tongue. The mouthwash rinses the debris away, thus helping prevent the buildup of plaque and cavities.

And while most people use mouthwash after brushing their teeth, the dentists recommend rinsing your mouth before doing so in the morning, because it clears all the loose particles that formed in your mouth while you were sleeping. You should also know that having all that debris and particles between your teeth, accompanied by poor dental hygiene can be one of the main causes for canker sores in your mouth that can be extremely painful. So, don’t wait any longer, and start using mouthwash as one of the best allies in maintaining your dental health.

Tooth Floss

But, regardless if you brush and rinse your teeth regularly, there are some tiny gaps and areas between your teeth and gums that the toothbrush and the mouthwash can’t access. The bacteria that reside in these gaps accumulate on your teeth and are the main cause for forming tartar and other gum inflammations and infections.

These vulnerable areas of your mouth can be only accessed by soft, stretchable tooth floss. Not only does flossing clear all the bacteria in between your teeth, but it also allows you to regularly examine your mouth for swellings and redness, and take a good look at your teeth, tongue and gums. So, don’t hesitate to include tooth floss into your daily dental routine for cleaner and healthier teeth.

Propolis Spray

Propolis, also known as bee glue, is a resinous glue made from saliva, beeswax and botanical resins, and its purpose is to protect the bees’ hives from infection and cover their honeycombs. Because of its powerful antimicrobial properties, it’s not surprising that this substance is used in dentistry too.

Due to the antimicrobial properties we mentioned before, propolis can be very helpful in fighting gum diseases, and developing caries fueled by sugars and other carbohydrates we consume. Nowadays, propolis can be found on the market as a spray, which is often enriched with additional substances, such as peppermint, Manuka honey, clove, myrrh and other oils, which are also beneficial for oral health.

Toothpowder

The toothpowder is nothing new. Thousands of years ago people used ingredients such as myrrh, burnt eggshells, crushed animal bone ash or oyster shells to make a powder for cleaning and polishing their teeth. Today, the popularity of toothpaste pushed the toothpowder into the dark, underestimating the various benefits of using it.

First of all, it’s scientifically proven that toothpowder is more effective in removing plaque than toothpaste. Most of the toothpowders nowadays are made of natural and organic ingredients that have abrasive properties. And unlike toothpaste, they don’t contain fluoride and glycerin, which can be poisonous and toxic if accidentally swallowed, and definitely not safe for children. Even though using toothpaste seems easier and more convenient to you, don’t underestimate the power of the simple toothpowder as one of the best oral care products for a healthy, dazzling smile.

Tooth Mousse

Tooth mousse is a foamy dental care crème that comes in a lot of flavours, and its main purpose is to remineralise the decayed teeth by replenishing the lost calcium and phosphate and to restore the damaged subsurface areas in teeth enamel. The tooth mousse also helps relieve teeth sensitivity when drinking cold drinks, protects the teeth from decay a d acidic food and drinks, prevents tooth erosions and has other beneficial properties.

Even though the dentists recommend applying tooth mousse at night after brushing and flossing your teeth, you should know that it’s completely safe to use it throughout the day too. This mousse is one of the rare natural-based dental supplies that is derived from milk protein, and you won’t have to worry if you swallow it accidentally too.

Tongue Cleaner

Most oral malodor originates from the surface of the tongue because we often neglect this area when we’re brushing our teeth. Scraping your tongue is a fast way to remove the particles and the bacteria from its surface and prevent bad breath. But using your toothbrush for this purpose is not convenient, and can be painful too. That’s why the dental industry came out with a perfect solution to get rid of the food debris and the dead cells stuck on your tongue- a specialised tongue cleaner.

These little tools are usually made from plastic, copper, or stainless steel, and have a slightly rounded shape, similar to an inverted spoon which offers you a comfortable tongue-cleaning experience without the gag reflex. Using this tool helps you conveniently remove the dirty coating on your tongue and that way it slows the plague growth process, and also helps improve your taste- enough motivating to get yourself one right now!

Toothbrush Sanitiser

A study performed in England has found that a standard toothbrush can “harbour” more than 100 million bacteria, including the dangerous E.coli. And as much as your body’s natural defences make it highly unlikely to catch an infection, the thought of all those germs stuck on your toothbrush probably makes you feel anxious about brushing your teeth with the same toothbrush again.

On the other hand, skipping the brushing process for that purpose doesn’t sound right too. But it’s possible to keep your toothbrush 100% sanitised and clean with a simple pack of toothbrush sanitisers.

These little sanitisers work thanks to a special vapour system. Once you place your toothbrush inside the device, the vapour starts circulating through the bristles of the toothbrush making it clean and bacteria-free. This vapour comes from natural essential oils, such as lemon, clove, thyme, tea tree and peppermint oil, which are well-known for their exceptional antimicrobial properties.

Even though there are a lot of teeth whitening ideas dentists can “hatch”, never neglect the power of your dental hygiene routine to keep your teeth healthy and white.