Recently, I attended an event about oral care. It’s definitely not the usual beauty event I go to. To be honest, when I was invited, my initial thought was oral care is already a common knowledge. Since we were kids, we were already taught by our parents and in school about the proper way of brushing our teeth. So how can it be any different this time? But I was wrong! I’m so glad I attended the event. Thanks to our friends from Colgate, Mr. Allan Castro (Colgate’s Associate Director of Oral Care), Ms. Tara Cabullo (Digital Marketing Manager), and Dr. Angel David (Professional Relations Manager), I learned A LOT that made me change my oral care habits BIG TIME. And I’m pretty sure most of you are brushing your teeth the wrong way. Yes, I am that certain that’s why I really need you to take some time to read through and even encourage you to share this to your family and friends.

Oral-care

  • Do you always use mouthwash? When do you use one – before or after brushing your teeth? Mouthwash takes care of spaces inside the mouth that your toothbrush cannot reach so it’s advisable to use mouthwash all the time. Mouthwash with fluoride will help reduce cavities and periodontal disease. Make sure not to rinse your mouth with water after using mouthwash so as not to remove the fluoride. Dr. Angel David also shared to us that mouthwash is best use PRIOR to brushing of teeth.

Colgate-mouthwash

  • You have to brush your teeth more than 1 minute. I’m sure some of you do this but this is connected with the proper brushing of teeth, which will be discussed on the next one.
  • How do you brush your teeth- up and down, circular, sideways? The proper way to brush the teeth is to tilt the toothbrush at 45° angle against the gumline and sweep or roll the brush away from the gumline by using short strokes. Gently brush the outside, inside and chewing surface of each tooth using short back-and-forth strokes. Adults have a total of 32 teeth. If you allot one second for each tooth, that’s already 32 seconds. Then, double that number since you should also brush the inner surface of each tooth. So, if you actually brush your teeth properly, it should take you more than a minute. Plus, you still have to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen breath. More or less, proper brushing actually takes at least two minutes. To show you the proper way of brushing, watch the video below.

  • After brushing, do you rinse your mouth with water? I’m sure most of you do. I used to. The girl in the video actually rinsed her mouth with water, but do you know that it’s best NOT to rinse? You just spit the excess toothpaste in your mouth and that’s it! Why? Colgate toothpaste has fluoride. If you rinse your mouth after brushing, you simply remove the fluoride on your teeth. This is probably the hardest step of all as most of us are used to rinsing our mouth with water after brushing. More than a habit, it actually feels better to rinse our mouth, right? But I promise, it’s worth a try. The first time I did it, I was uneasy for the first few minutes, but eventually, I got used to it! On my third or fourth try, I was already comfortable so now, I’ve started to develop the habit already.
  • Now, who uses floss all the time? It removes plaque and debris that sticks in between teeth and below the gumline, polishes tooth surfaces, and controls bad breath. Therefore, it’s advised to use floss everyday. The ideal length of floss to use is 20 inches. Also, use waxed floss to easily glide it along your gums. Watch the video below on how to floss.

Dental-floss

  • Change your toothbrush every three months. Clinical research shows that a new toothbrush can remove more plaque than one that’s worn out, ensuring that your brush is working its hardest to help keep your teeth clean and healthy. That’s because, no matter what type of toothbrush you use, its bristles can become frayed and worn and may lose their effectiveness.

Colgate-philippines

  • The signs of a healthy gum is being pink in color and does not bleed when brushing or flossing.
  • There are 500-650 types of bacteria species living in the oral cavity, one of the main reasons for having bad breath. Over 500 different strains of bacteria have been detected in the human mouth, though most people are only host to 34 to 72 different varieties. Most of these bacterial species appear to be harmless when it comes to our health. Other bacteria actually protect our teeth and gums. There are some bacteria, however, that we’d rather do without, since they cause tooth decay, bad breath and gum disease.
  • There are two kinds of tooth stains: intrinsic and extrinsic.

– Extrinsic stains are those that appear on the surface of the teeth as a result of exposure to dark-colored beverages, foods and tobacco, and routine wear and tear. Superficial extrinsic stains are minor and can be removed with brushing and prophylactic dental cleaning. Stubborn extrinsic stains can be removed with more involved efforts, like teeth bleaching. Persistent extrinsic stains can penetrate into the dentin and become ingrained if they are not dealt with early.

– Intrinsic stains are those that form on the interior of teeth. Intrinsic stains result from trauma, aging, exposure to minerals (like tetracycline) during tooth formation and/or excessive ingestion of fluoride.

  • Oral health is linked to systemic health. Oral health can offer clues about your overall health. Also, problems in your mouth can affect the rest of your body. Know more about it in THIS ARTICLE.
  • Visit your dentist at least twice a year for checking and cleaning.
  • In the Philippines, 9 out of 10 children have cavities. The two most common oral health problems in the country are dental caries and periodontal diseases. These two dental concerns can be avoided by improving oral health conditions among pre-school children and inculcating a positive oral health behavior to children who will be entering school age.

Whew! Did I just give you too much information? You’re probably still surprised with some of the facts I shared. Well, it’s never too late to start with the right oral care for your overall health and wellness.

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