• Dental Phobia Support

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Daily oral hygiene regime/ tips

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Foolishfairy

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2014
Messages
36
Hi folks,
What a wonderful forum.Okay having avoided the dentist for many many years due to a bad experience as a child I am happy to say I finally went (severe phobia / needle phobia/ embarrassment you name it).I am so happy but understand that after my deep cleaning sessions etc I must continue to look after things and I hope I can.I know the basics but I don't want to slip back.What are your tips/ daily routine?
When do you floss/ brush/ electric or manual toothbrush /use of mouthwash? I have gum disease so I am very sensitive after the cleaning.Anything that works or tricks you have to keep me going well....I am nearly afraid to eat in case my dreadful tarter builds up again ....tips please!!...anything
Thanks in advance
 
I brush 2x/day with a Sonicare (electric) toothbrush. I use the small head so that I can be sure to be able to get it around my teeth in the back. I use a prescription toothpaste in the morning and a sensitivity toothpaste at night. I also floss 2x/day (BEFORE brushing) with a woven floss (Gum Care) which is a very think floss that is softer than most other floss so I find that it is gentle on my gums. I floss and brush at other times during the day as needed.
 
Thanks for taking the time to reply .Sounds good and pretty much the same as I am doing expect I am finding the interdental brushes quite severe on gums.Maybe I am using them too hard.I am going back soon to dentist for a review so I will see how I am doing then.Do you rinse with a mouthwash during day? I started doing this too.Thanks :)
 
No mouthwash for me - I've asked my dentist about it, but he does not recommend it.
 
I also have gum disease, and have been undergoing treatment (debridement, deep cleaning, gum measurements, etc.) over the past two months. One tip from my dentist that really helps me when my mouth is sore is to do a salt water rinse. I put 1 tsp of salt into 8 oz of warm (not hot) water, and gargle with it for 30 seconds to a minute--usually, just however long I can stand the taste. It doesn't make the pain go away entirely, but it does seem to make my gums feel less sensitive. Often, I'll do this just before or after flossing, as this is the part of my oral care routine that is most uncomfortable. If pain is really bad (mainly this was before I started treatment), I sometimes take an ibuprofen or two, in order to help with the inflammation. My dentist also recommended chewing sugarless gum with xylitol; I can't remember what exactly this is supposed to do. I've been chewing xylitol gum in the afternoons, or after eating out, when I can't brush immediately. Otherwise, my basic routine is brushing twice a day (morning and evening), flossing once a day (evening), and one fluoride rinse a day (evening again). I tend to be a hard brusher, who likes to go over each tooth a set number of times, so I do try to force myself to do gentle, circular motions. From my deep cleanings, I know that I have several spots on my back teeth, especially, where plaque can be difficult to reach, so I spend extra time brushing and flossing these spots, in order to make sure that nothing gets built up there. Hope this helps!
 
Wow ... You are so helpful.I was doing the salt water after my deep clean but was worried it may have an affect on the enamel if I did it daily.Yes I am finding gums sensitive after flossing so I will go back to salt water gargle again when I feel sore .I normally brush twice a day but wondering should I brush mid day after lunch too as I am so concerned not to let plaque build up again.I feel gums are having a hard time with hard brushing and flossing but my dentist said its a must ! A silly question but I presume fruit is okay ?? I heard citric fruit not so kind .Thanks :)
 
I've heard that citrus is hard on enamel-the acid ca eat away at it. I actually read somewhere that you should wait a few minutes before brushing if you've eaten something very acidic, because you can actually damage the enamel further by brushing right away. This is a good question for your dentist, as is the one about using salt water long-term. Hope things feel better soon!
 
Hi salt water won't do any harm to your teeth or gums. Brushing twice a day with a soft small head brush for 2 mins at a time is all you need to do. Don't brush when you have just eaten, wait an hour at least because when you eat it softens the enamel so if you brush it can cause damage. After about an hour the enamal toughtens back up again. Floss at least once a day, I use rubber interdental brushes because the wire bristle ones are harsh, I just couldn't get on with them. I love the wisdom rubber ones. I use easy glide floss. I was also told by my dentist to use mouth wash at lunch time.

So brush twice a day first thing in the morning and last thing at night.
Floss at least once a day.
An electric brush is easier to use than a manual one.
Mouth wash at mid day.
Salt water as and when you feel like it or as your dentist has directed you.

I hope this helps a bit, :butterfly:
 
Hi FoolishFairy!

The tips and replies you've had here are spot on. :)

There's no difference between types of floss. Waxed, unwaxed, flavored, plain, purple, white - they all do the same thing. It comes down to what you prefer.

It's true that citric acids effect the enamel, but another one to watch out for is carbohydrates. The plaque found on teeth is made up of bacteria which feed off of sugar and produce acid as a waste product. The acids then erode the teeth.

Also, it is normal after a deep cleaning session for your gums to be sore. Warm, salt-water washes every few hours will help with healing.

Gum disease isn't the end of the world, over 90% of people have it / will have it at some point in there life and it is treatable! :)
 
Super helpful folks :)
I didn't get a chance to ask such basic questions to my lovely dentist as I am normally in my zone of fear but I am improving so much thanks to her.Yes I was recommended mouthwash at lunch time and I am doing this after I have eaten.Hope this is right.Thanks again
 
Yes is is correct according to what my dentist told me about using the mouthwash.

Good luck, you could write anything you wish to ask your dentist down and hand her the piece of paper when you go. I do this as I also lose my mind and don't function as I would normally. I forget everything as I walk through the door. You will find that as time goes on you will feel much more relaxed and more able to remember to ask things.

Something for you to think about, when you go shopping do you always remember everything every time?

I don't so why do we think we should remember everything in a situation of nervous discomfort :butterfly:
 
Does anyone here use a high fluoride toothpaste? It was suggested I use such but if course I forgot to ask the name.....What are the benefits over the normal one I use I wonder
 
I use Prevident. It's a high fluoride toothpaste. In the US, you can only get it with a prescription.
 
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