Proper brushing technique is the first step to maintaining healthy teeth and gums and though most people brush everyday they don’t have the proper idea as to how to do it the right way, experts in dental sciences said on the National Tooth Brushing Day observed at SOA on Sunday.
A person should place the tooth brush at a 45 degree angle against the gums and move the same gently back and forth in short strokes for better effect, experts at the Institute of Dental Sciences (IDS), SOA’s faculty of dental sciences, explained to around 300 patients in the institute’s Out Patients Department (OPD) on the occasion. Experts from the department of Public Health Dentistry also provided advice and suggested medication to the patients.
The experts said though several toothpastes were available in the market, every person should consult a dental professional before making the choice. However, it was better to use fluoride toothpaste with a soft-bristle toothbrush to begin with, they said.
For maintaining better oral hygiene, it was necessary to brush the teeth twice daily for two minutes each employing the correct brushing technique which included 30 seconds of brushing each section of the mouth. Manual toothbrushes are widely used but powered toothbrushes are expensive and vary in price drastically.
“The Cochrane Affiliate Center at IDS suggests that a proper tooth brushing technique is more important than the choice of the toothbrush as per findings of previous research work compiled by Cochrane Collaborators,” Prof. Neeta Mohanty, Dean of IDS, said.
Prof. Mohanty said IDS being a Cochrane affiliate believed in disseminating evidence-based information on oral health to the general public.
Demonstration of correct tooth brushing technique, duration and frequency of tooth brushing, correct time to replace a tooth brush and the importance of oral hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic were emphasized to the patients.