Maintaining oral hygiene is crucial for overall health, as our mouth requires daily care to prevent cavities and periodontal disease. Proper oral hygiene helps manage your oral microbiome and goes beyond just having shiny teeth.
Each person’s oral care routine varies—some opt for a brief scrub with a manual toothbrush, while others follow a more comprehensive regimen of brushing, flossing, and rinsing. Since we visit the dentist only a few times a year, what should we do between check-ups to maintain our dental health?
We consulted Dr. Kami Hoss, a dentist and author of If Your Mouth Could Speak (£22.99, BenBella Books), to discover common mistakes and learn the proper technique for brushing our teeth.
Many of us wake up, consume acidic foods or beverages like fruit, coffee, or juice, and then brush our teeth right away.
You might even use mouthwash or dental floss (especially before a dentist appointment). However, Hoss emphasizes that this is not the correct order for optimal dental care.
In the morning, if you want to eat breakfast, you should:
- Use alkaline mouthwash
- Floss
- Use a tongue scraper
- Brush
Yes, brushing should be the final step.
“Overnight, plaque accumulates,” Hoss explains. Mouthwash helps remove food particles and plaque, making them easier to clean.
“Start with flossing and cleaning between teeth,” Hoss advises. Be cautious with your choice of floss; some contain undesirable ingredients. Opt for silk or nylon floss, as beeswax coating is also a good option.
“Don’t forget to use a tongue scraper to maintain a clean tongue. This tool can help eliminate bad breath-causing microorganisms and even improve your sense of taste.”
Finally, brush your teeth using a slightly alkaline toothpaste.
What Mouthwash Should I Use?
While traditional advice suggests using mouthwash to kill all bacteria for cavity protection, Hoss explains that this method may not be the healthiest approach for your teeth.
“Think of your mouth as a garden and your oral microbiome as the flowers and plants within. Just as you wouldn’t pour acid over your garden to eliminate weeds, using strong antiseptic mouthwash can harm both good and bad bacteria in your mouth,” Hoss observes.
Instead, consider using an alkaline mouthwash that helps to restore your mouth’s pH. A balanced pH is crucial for maintaining oral health; excessive acidity can foster “bad bacteria,” which contribute to cavities and dental diseases.
What Causes Tooth Decay?
“Cavities form when the pH in your mouth becomes acidic,” Hoss states.
A healthy mouth typically has a neutral pH of around 7. Consuming foods or beverages can lower your pH to about 5.5, which promotes acid-loving bacteria.
These bacteria, especially when fed sugary foods, produce additional acid, creating a cycle of acidity in the mouth.
When the pH dips to 5.5, it begins to dissolve hydroxyapatite, the substance that composes tooth enamel—a process known as demineralization. However, don’t panic. This process can be reversed. Once you stop eating, your saliva helps remineralize your teeth over the next 30 minutes to an hour.
“As long as you avoid excessive amounts of sugary and processed foods, the balance between demineralization and remineralization is maintained, preventing cavities,” Hoss explains.
“However, frequent consumption of bad foods—like sugar, processed options, and simple carbohydrates—can lead to more demineralization, resulting in cavities.”
About Our Expert: Dr. Kami Hoss
Dr. Kami Hoss is a dentist with extensive qualifications, including a master’s degree in craniofacial biology from USC, a doctorate in dental surgery from UCLA, and a postdoctoral fellowship in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. He is also the co-founder of The Super Dentists and the author of If Your Mouth Could Speak.
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This article was first published on May 12, 2022
Source: www.sciencefocus.com