Decayed, broken, or yellow teeth can be a result of poor oral hygiene and bad dental care practices. To have healthy and happy teeth, you should know and follow the 10 commandments of dental care. They are as follows:

1. USE A SOFT TOOTHBRUSH:

A good quality toothbrush with soft or medium bristles is advised for brushing. Never use a rough or hard toothbrush. A toothbrush should be used only for 3 months and should be changed every 3 months.

2. USE A REGULAR TOOTHPASTE:

Dentists generally recommend regular toothpaste (unless a person is suffering from generalized sensitivity). A pea-sized quantity of toothpaste is sufficient. Do not use cooking salt, tooth powder, or any other abrasives, without consulting your doctor.

3. BRUSHING FREQUENCY:

Brush twice, daily for two minutes in front of the mirror - once in the morning and once at bedtime. Do not brush for more than 2 minutes and not more than 2 times a day.

4. WHAT TO REMOVE WITH BRUSHING:

Only plaque and some mild stains can be removed by regular brushing. Kindly do not try to remove calcified calculus or tartar. This will further damage the enamel of your teeth and the gums.

5. BRUSHING TECHNIQUE:

  • Place the brush at the gingival margin establishing an angle of 45 degrees to the long axis of teeth (i.e. place the brush slightly tilted towards the gums as shown in picture 1 in the above image).
  • Begin from any one corner of the mouth. Brush 3-4 teeth at a time, covering the entire mouth.
  • Each set of 3-4 teeth should receive 15-20 gentle brushing strokes.
  • Brush occlusal surfaces by placing the brush parallel to the top surface of the teeth.
  • Try brushing the inner surfaces of your teeth as much as possible.

6. INTERDENTAL BRUSHING:

After brushing your teeth, an interdental brush can be used to brush horizontally between two teeth near the gums, to clean the gingival embrasures. This brush is commonly available in all pharmacy shops.

7. DENTAL FLOSS:

Dental floss is a thread used for vertical cleaning between two teeth. It is recommended to floss at least once daily, preferably before brushing your teeth. 

8. MOUTHWASH:

Use any mild to moderate mouthwash once or twice daily.

How to use a mouthwash?

  • Do not dilute the mouthwash by adding water to it until and unless mentioned on the bottle.
  • Gargle thoroughly for about 2 minutes and then spit.
  • Do not gargle with water after spitting the mouthwash.
  • Do not eat or drink water for the next 30 minutes.
  • You can use a mouthwash after brushing your teeth in the morning as well as at night.

9. SOFT TISSUE CLEANING:

Gums, tongue, palate, and all oral soft tissues should be cleaned daily. All the tissues can simply be massaged with fingers in order to clean them. Do not use hard tongue cleaners.

10. PROFESSIONAL TEETH CLEANING:

Lastly, do not forget to visit a dentist every 6 months for professional teeth cleaning. Professional teeth cleaning is a must to clean the areas which are not accessible to brushes and a mouthwash. Hope you find these tips useful and will add them to your regular dental care routine.