Proper Teeth Care?

Question

I have very unhealthy teeth.
Every time I go to the dentist (once a year) I have at least 4 cavities.
There has never been a time in my life when I went to the dentist and didn't have cavities.

Part of the reason (or most of it) is because I didn't brush regularly like a retard.

So, now that I'm past that retarded stage, I wanted to know what the best way to brush and floss are, and how frequently.

1) How do you floss?
2) How often? Every time you eat?

3) How often should I brush my teeth?

4) Should I use a mouth wash?

5) If you do have to brush every time you eat, how do you do it at work or school?

Oh, and the dentist always tells me I need more calcium ... so part of the reason I get cavities could be my teeth are weak.

I really need to know how to properly take care of my teeth, because the dentist always asks if I floss ... I do floss, but I guess I'm doing it wrong.

Please answer all my questions! Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi There
First off, your cavity problem could be part of what your ingesting...are you drinking soda regularly or anything carbonated??? That can erode your enamel. Also candy like sour patch kids, or sucking on lemons or continually eating acidic things can also do a number. Or having bulimia(the acid from your stomach) Or nibbling on crackers all day can cause it too. Or if you're an avid swimmer...the chemicals in the water of the pools can cause erosion too! Anyway, try to pick apart your diet, because it may have something to do with your continual decay.
If you're on any meds that cause dry mouth...this can create a breeding ground for bacteria to cause decay...so chewing sugarless gum to keep your saliva flowing is always a good idea. And if you were ever on steroids like prednisone as a child while your teeth were developing, this can make your teeth soft too.

Ok, so here's what you can do. You definitely should be on a prescription fluoride toothpaste like Control Rx or Prevident (which you can get from your dentist). Until then start rinsing with either ACT or PhosFlur Fluoride rinse. These rinses will not reverse decay already formed, but it will remineralize areas that can turn into decay! It's a miracle in a bottle, I think!

So your daily routine should look like this...but ask you hygienist to demonstrate flossing and brushing during your cleaning appts...
If you don't have an electric toothbrush...buy one...I recommend the Oral B...it does all the work for you...all you have to do is spend about 2 seconds on each tooth and just cruise along from tooth to tooth(total of 2 minutes brushing!) Electric toothbrushes are clinically proven to do a better job of reducing the amount of plaque and bacteria (that's causing your decay). In the morning, brush your teeth. At night, floss first, then brush with your Oral B, and then rinse with your fluoride rinse for a minute, spit out and DO NOT rinse out your mouth with water after...that way it gives the fluoride a good chance to reach any demineralized areas to remineralize them...leaving you with less decay in the future! And go straight to bed so you're not attempted to drink or eat anything!

Hope this helped!!!

Answer 2

1. I take the floss and gently place between teeth and pull gently in both directions, getting the front of one tooth and the back of the other till all teeth are flossed properly. Do not tug on floss too hard, it hurts and you don't want to damage your gums.
2. You should floss every time you eat, but if you can't try chewing some sugar free gum to get any food particles out that are stuck in teeth. I try to floss at least twice a day.
3. Personally, I brush my teeth after I eat breakfast, lunch & dinner. If you don't want to brush 3 times a day at least brush your teeth after breakfast & then after dinner.
4. Mouthwash is great. I like the brand ACT, it's minty fresh with a touch of vanilla.
5. I would carry a small tube of toothpaste & toothbrush ( I had braces, it became a necessity to brush after each meal and now I do it out of habit) and just brush in the bathroom at school or work.

Drink more milk. I drink skim, but drink whatever kind you like. Eat yogurt & cheese for calcium. You could also take a multivitamin to increase calcium. I had to considering I had to get braces and they weaken your teeth!

Good luck & hope this helps. I'm sure your dentist or hygenist would be happy to explain all these things for better teeth & gums. They only want to help you so don't be afraid to ask for advice!

Answer 3

I try to floss at least twice a day, usually after i eat, but not every time.

To floss you wrap the floss around your index fingers, leaving an inch or an inch and a half between your fingers. Pull the floss tight Make sure you go on each side of your gum between each tooth.

Brush your teeth at least twice a day. i leave an extra toothbrush by my kitchen sink so i can brush my teeth really quick before i go out or whatever.

I have never used mouth wash and i have never had a cavity, but it couldn't hurt.

carry a tootbrush with you in your purse and a little tube of toothpaste if want to brush at work or school.

Answer 4

It's more important to take care of the gums than the teeth. If your gums get infected and go bad, you will soon lose your teeth and the dentist can't fix that. He can only fix the teeth themselves. Brush and floss twice a day and use a high quality mouth wash, such as Listerine. A water pik is useful too (sprays a jet of water into the teeth). If you don't take good care of your gums and teeth now, you will really regret it later in life.

Answer 5

first of all, i really think you should go to the dentist, they will demonstrate how to floss better than i can TELL you.

1) take the floss in both your hands. loop each end around each of your index fingers until you have just enough room to floss your teeth, then stick the floss down in between each tooth one at a time, making a horseshoe with the floss pulling back and forth (so that you will get all the food).

2) Your suppose to floss at lease once a day, i floss after dinner, before i brush my teeth.

3) you should brush your teeth at least twice a day.

4)If you want, but it helps a lot. It gets a lot of the germs that kills gingivitis. I use hydrogen peroxide sometimes, it helps like mouthwash, but it burns a little more.

5)I only brush after dinner and in the morning. But if you want to brsuh at work, you could just go in the bathroom with you brush and paste...

Take some calcium pills for you weak teeth. You can get them almost anywhere.

good luck!

Answer 6

I am embaressed to say that I thought I knew how to brush my teeth. That was until I visited www.denta-med.com.au. It has a detailed description of how to clean your teeth; brushing, flossing, the works! It's written by a dentist and really simple to follow. I tried the denta-med gel also and I have no more morning bad breath and clean teeth. I use it all the time now.
I hope this helps you. I am really happy with it, and wouldn't mention it unless I was the best on the market.

Answer 7

HI,
HERE ARE SOME GOOD TIPS

http://www.ehow.com/how_3064_floss-teeth.html

9 OUT OF 10 ADULTS NEVER FLOSS AND YET 7 OF !0 HAVE GUM DISEASE
YOU SHOULD BRUSH AFTER EVERY MEAL, BUT FOR PRACTICAL REASONS TWICE A DAY IS ADEQUATE FLOSSING ONCE A DAY IS FINE.
EATING FOODS RICH IN CALCIUM CAN HELP. IF YOU HAVE A DEFICIENCY,TAKING DAILY SUPPLEMENTS CAN HELP.TALK TO THE PHARMACIST.
USING MOUTHWASH HELPS. USE LISTERINE ORANGE OR COOL BLUE THE TRADITIONAL IS TOO STRONG FOR MOST FOLKS. BE SURE THIS IS A SOFT BRUSH, NOT MEDIUM OR FIRM.

Answer 8

You need plenty of calcium for your teeth. It is essential for the teeth as well as your bones. It is better to drink milk, fortified orange juice and to eat yogurt, broccoli, cheese, and other dairy products. You can also take a calcium supplement, taking different doses according to your age and necessity as per prescription. Calcium and Vitamin D are necessary for maintaining the health of gums and teeth. Vitamin B complex is also essential for the protection of gums and teeth from cracking and bleeding. Copper, zinc, iodine, iron and potassium are also required for maintaining healthy dental hygiene.

Answer 9

I take calcium tablets with magnesium and Vit D as without them the calcium is useless.
Floss twice a day and brush twice a day- morning and night
I do not use mouth wash as it tastes like crap.
By the way I have only ever had one cavity

Answer 10

Hey there,

I was looking for a lot of information in the web where I can find something really summarized and you can check this infographic for "How NOT to brush our teeth".
http://infographo.com/how-not-to-brush-your-teeth-infographic/