Life Hacks from Daily Life - (Full Three Volumes)

Author: Gao Jianwei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-05-01
Features: How to brush your teeth correctly? [Tip] Brush the upper teeth from top to bottom, the lower teeth from bottom to top, the occlusal surface back and forth, and brush all surfaces inside and outside. Don’t forget to brush the gums when brushing your teeth. Brushing your teeth is to protect your teeth and the supporting tissues around them from bacterial invasion, making them healthy, beautiful, and stable. Bacteria on the tooth surface can cause cavities, while bacteria near the gums can lead to periodontitis. Brushing your teeth well is to prevent cavities, and brushing the gum margins well can prevent or control the progression of periodontitis. Therefore, don’t forget to brush the gum margins around your teeth when brushing. Some people with bleeding gums are often afraid of bleeding and avoid brushing, which results in the progression of inflammation and worsened bleeding. Therefore, those with periodontitis symptoms such as bleeding gums, redness, widened gaps between teeth, and loose teeth should pay even more attention to brushing the gum margins.
The correct way to brush your teeth is: Align the bristles of the toothbrush with the gum margin at a 45-degree angle, and brush in short horizontal strokes 4–5 times for each pair of teeth, then vertically to the gum line, moving from left to right. After brushing the outside surfaces, make sure to brush the occlusal surfaces and inner surfaces equally well. Be careful not to apply too much force—just enough to remove plaque is ideal. At least once a day (preferably at night), brush thoroughly and meticulously (3–5 minutes), and bacteria will not accumulate. Only then will you have healthy and beautiful teeth.
How to choose a toothbrush? [Tip] The toothbrush is the main tool for maintaining oral hygiene. There are many types and brands of toothbrushes on the market. How should you choose the most suitable one? Consider the following aspects:
1. Size of the brush head: According to the American Dental Association’s guidelines, the length of the brush head should be 2.5–3 cm, the width 0.8–1 cm, with 2–4 rows of bristles, each row with 5–12 bundles of bristles. The front end of the brush head should be rounded. These specifications can serve as a reference when choosing a toothbrush.
2. Stiffness of the bristles: Generally, there are three types: soft, medium, and hard. Medium-stiffness toothbrushes are usually most suitable for daily use. When buying a toothbrush, press the bristles with your fingers. If you feel a tingling sensation, the bristles are too hard and should not be chosen. Most toothbrushes on the market now use nylon bristles, which are superior to boar-hair toothbrushes in terms of elasticity, uniformity, and stiffness, making them more beneficial for oral hygiene.
3. Angle between the brush head and handle: Toothbrushes on the market come in straight and angled types. Straight brushes provide more force when used, while angled brushes are better for cleaning back teeth. The ideal angle is 17–20 degrees.
4. Tip of the bristles: The top of the bristles should be rounded and not sharp. You can feel it with your hand when purchasing.
5. Special toothbrushes: People with periodontitis or the elderly, who may have receding gums and wider gaps between teeth, should use interdental brushes in addition to regular toothbrushes. These brushes have bristles in cone or long-barrel shapes and can be chosen as needed. Another type has only two rows of bristles and is used for gum massage. The concave-shaped toothbrush with two outer rows of longer bristles than the inner rows is specifically designed for those undergoing orthodontic treatment. Such toothbrushes can not only clean the tooth surfaces but also remove food residue from the braces. People with limited hand mobility (e.g., stroke patients) can choose electric toothbrushes or light energy ion toothbrushes.
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