Life Hacks (3 Books)

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 the surfaces inside and outside. Don’t forget to brush your gums. Brushing is to protect your teeth and the supporting tissues around them from bacterial invasion, ensuring healthy, beautiful, and stable teeth. Bacteria on the tooth surface can cause cavities, while bacteria near the gums can lead to periodontitis. Brushing well helps prevent cavities, and brushing the gum margins well can prevent or control the progression of periodontitis. Therefore, when brushing, don’t forget to brush the gum margins around the teeth. Some people with bleeding gums are afraid of bleeding and avoid brushing, which results in inflammation worsening and bleeding intensifying. Thus, those with gum bleeding, redness, widening gaps between teeth, or loose teeth (symptoms of periodontitis) should pay more attention to brushing the gum margins. The correct brushing method is: Align the bristles of the toothbrush with the gum margin at a 45-degree angle, with two teeth as a unit, and make short horizontal vibrations 4–5 times, then brush vertically to the gum line, moving from left to right. After brushing the outside, brush the occlusal surface and the inside in the same way. Be careful not to apply excessive force—just enough to remove plaque. 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 varieties and brands of toothbrushes on the market. How should you choose the most suitable one? Consider the following aspects:
1. Size of the toothbrush head: According to the American Dental Association’s guidelines, the length of the toothbrush 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 of the toothbrush head should be rounded and blunt. These guidelines can help you choose 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 sensation, the bristles are too hard and should not be chosen. Most toothbrushes on the market use nylon bristles, which are superior to pig bristle toothbrushes in elasticity, uniformity, and stiffness, making them more beneficial for oral hygiene.
3. Angle between the head and handle: Toothbrushes on the market come in two types: straight and angled. 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 blunt, not sharp. You can feel the bristles to check this when purchasing.
5. Special toothbrushes: People with periodontal disease or the elderly, who may have receding gums and increased gaps between teeth, should use interdental brushes in addition to regular toothbrushes. These brushes have bristles in shapes like conical or elongated, 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 people undergoing orthodontic treatment. This toothbrush is...