Do you have dental advice for people who struggle to take care of their teeth due to disability, depression, etc? I'm afraid of needing dental work but oral hygiene is really hard for me.
Alright so my advice as a future dentist (current dental assistant, not a dentist yet):
1. Find a toothbrush you like. Doesn't matter what brand or what kind. What's important is that you brush. If a toothbrush with cartoon characters on it is what will motivate you to brush, get it.
(If the brush head is smaller, though, than the usual adult brush heads, just remember to spend a little more time on each tooth since smaller brush heads cover less surface area).
If an electric toothbrush is your jam, get an electric toothbrush. Just get a toothbrush.
2. Find a toothpaste you like. Doesn't matter what brand or flavor. They pretty much all have the same ingredients. I would highly recommend toothpastes for sensitive gums, like Sensodyne or Oral-B, because if you haven't been practicing consistent oral hygiene for a while, your gums are most likely very sensitive. But really, any toothpaste is good. Just stay away from the charcoal stuff, it's more likely to do nothing at best and cause damage at worst (especially if you take medication).
3. Try to brush twice a day, but no more than three times a day. Brushing a whole bunch one day doesn't make up for not brushing the day before, too much brushing can damage your enamel with the abrasion.
Brushing once in the morning and once at night is ideal. Try to brush before you eat breakfast, or at least half an hour after you eat. Brush for about 2 minutes, making sure you brush each surface of your teeth.
Your teeth have five surfaces, three that are accessible via brushing: Make sure you brush the sides that face your cheeks, the sides that face the inside of your mouth, and the biting surfaces.
4. Try to floss once a day. There are different flossing methods now, find one that works.
-Traditional string and fingers
There are pros and cons to each, but the important thing is that you floss. Flossing is important regardless of whether you have food stuck between your teeth; flossing helps remove plaque deposits between your teeth that can build up and cause irritation to the gums. Make sure you floss between each tooth. If flossing a certain groove brings up a large amount of debris, floss that area again until the string comes out clean.
5. Drink lots of water. Unfortunately, this isn't a "as long as you're hydrated situation". Other beverages can be great for hydration, but they're either very sugary or acidic or both, which aren't good for maintaining the pH in your mouth. This doesn't mean you have to give up your favourite drinks- just make sure you also drink plenty of plain old water, especially during and between meals. Do whatever you can to incentivize drinking water: fun water bottles, fun drinking straws, alarms, whatever it takes.
6. If you struggle with remembering to brush your teeth and/or floss, set alarms to remind you.
7. Try to reward yourself for practicing good oral care. Maybe put on a short YouTube clip while you floss and brush, or play a song. This may sound corny, but have a chart that if you reach a certain quota you reward yourself. It'll help you turn oral hygiene into a habit.
8. If you can afford it, try to see a hygienist to give you a full clean. At the very least they'll help get your teeth back to a baseline, and then all you need to do is maintain it. Some places will have free or reduced cost dental clinics, so keep an eye out for those if cost is an issue. Hygienists don't do any drilling or invasive dental work if that's a fear you have, all they do is essentially a very thorough brushing and flossing.
9. Keep a toothbrush and toothpaste in your shower if time and spoons are an issue, that way you can brush your teeth while bathing, knocking two out in one. Likewise, keep a toothbrush and toothpaste by your bed if getting out of bed is an issue. If you can, you can try to buy a bunch of pre-pasted disposable toothbrushes to keep by your bed, so that you don't need to worry about even having to apply toothpaste to your toothbrush.
10. Don't give up if you fall off the wagon. If you forget to brush your teeth one day, you always have the next day. If you brush your teeth but didn't floss, at least you brushed. If you flossed but only gargled mouthwash, at least you did something. Something is always better than nothing.
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