An Introduction to Home Care

What is ‘home care’?

Home care is where you take control and establish a proper daily routine to reduce bacteria in the mouth. Brushing alone is not enough. Rinsing with a mouthwash alone is not enough. You must also use a Waterpik (to wash food out from between your teeth), and you must floss in order to have fresh breath and a healthy mouth. By reducing the levels of bacteria in your mouth you will reduce the number of cavities, improved gum health, and potentially reduce the risk of heart disease and other illnesses.

Here are suggestions for establishing a good home care routine:

• Brush thoroughly.

  Try to use an electric toothbrush if possible. When using a hand-held or electric brush, always brush gently. Do not ‘scrub’ the teeth.

• Brush each tooth gently.

  Vigorous brushing will wear away the gums and the roots of the teeth and cause tooth (root) sensitivity to cold, hot, and touch. If you brush gently, however, and use only a dab (half toothbrush full) of toothpaste (not a gob of toothpaste), the gums will stay healthier with less chance of root sensitivity.

• Proceed to irrigate

  Wash between each tooth with a mouth irrigator such as a Waterpik. You will be amazed at how many crumbs will wash out

• Floss.
  Floss as many teeth as the floss will pass through. Why? Because deep in the gums there may be crumbs that even an irrigator won’t get.

• Rinse

  Use a standard brand mouthwash with fluoride to coat the roots with fluoride which will provide a layer of protection.

  
  Don’t feel overwhelmed. This home-care routine is not that hard. Once you get into the routine, it becomes second nature and does not involve much time. Also, caries, bleeding gums, and tooth pain will be much reduced, as will your dental bills.

When should home care be done?

Studies show that proper brushing once daily is sufficient to control cavities and periodontal disease. There is a catch, however. These same studies also find that we lead busy lives and so we are distracted and don’t always brush properly. This means that our brushing is usually less than perfect. We are rushing. We are thinking of a hundred other things. We look in the mirror and we say, ‘that’s good enough’. The conclusion, therefore is that we must brush at least twice daily in order to properly maintain clean tooth surfaces. Of course the ideal situation would be to brush and floss every time we eat. That, however, is not always possible, so ideally try for twice a day brushing. Despite our busy lives, we must set aside time each morning and evening to complete our home care routine. It has been shown that starting the twice daily brushing routine in children under five years of age will help develop the healthy habit of twice daily brushing when older. So follow through on your twice daily routine - and use the same routine for the kids!