#Dental Health

[incognitopolls]

No judgement here! Anon has struggled their entire life with brushing their teeth and wants others to know they're not alone.

–

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[magnetothemagnificent]

So tired of the American culture around oral hygiene. You see it most in toothpaste or other similar dental products commercials. It's not "buy our toothpaste because it prevents painful infections", it's "be dentist ready" and ads showing people doing the "tissue test" to see how white their teeth are, as if the only reason you should practice good oral hygiene is because you're worried about the approval of others.

It's just...so harmful.

Oral hygiene is important, not because your teeth have to be perfectly white or because your dentist will judge you (they most likely won't), but because your mouth is part of your body and your health is important. The state of your mouth can impact the rest of your body, oral infections can become life-threating or impact your ability to properly eat or speak without pain. That's why you should care about oral hygiene- because it's your body and you deserve to live with as minimal pain and discomfort as possible- not because of some shallow beauty ideals.

I'm just so tired of the mainstream message of oral hygiene as being purely aesthetic. It's not. It's healthcare.

[jiraisupportgroup]

₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊ Depression Dental Hygiene Tips ₊‧°𐐪♡𐑂°‧₊

♡ Brush your teeth when you feel up to it regardless of the time of day.

♡ Brush your teeth for shorter amounts of time. If you can do 30 seconds but not 2 minutes, just do the 30 seconds.

♡ Dry brush your teeth - take a dry toothbrush and just brush. You can do this anywhere, even in bed.

♡ Use kids' mouthwash or toothpaste. The flavour is usually sweet, and you can change flavours to keep things interesting.

♡ Use kids' floss picks. They're super cute and not so aggressively minty so they can be much easier to use.

♡ Use Wisps, they're like little disposable toothbrushes and you don't need water or toothpaste to use them.

♡ Wipe your teeth off with a wet paper towel or washcloth after eating.

♡ Use chewable toothpaste. Most are designed to be used with a toothbrush, but you can just pop it in your mouth, chew it up, swish some water in your mouth and swallow.

♡ Listerine strips can be used in a similar way and can be much easier than mouthwash especially if you're not near a sink.

[ineffableriddlebird]

During the Dental Appointment VS After the Dental Appointment

[jstor]

Step back into the 1950s with this vintage gem from the American Dental Association, from the Wellcome Collection available on JSTOR. This clip from a series of 1-minute TV announcements reminds us that maintaining a healthy smile is timeless. The animated PSA playfully suggests that if you take care of your teeth as you age, "you'll think you're another Peter Pan." 🦷 ✨ Explore how dental health advice was shared with audiences over 60 years ago and reflect on how much—or how little���has changed in our approach to oral hygiene in the full video on JSTOR.

[kouhaiofcolor]

I created a GFM for a dental emergency. 🦷🚨

I have a bit of a predicament, guys. Spanning the past two years — and I cannot take it anymore.

I never ask for help like this, but this is getting more serious than I can handle anymore on my own. If you have the time to check this out, **even if all you can do is share this post to get it around on Tumblr, I'd appreciate that. Please and thank you!

[desultory-suggestions]

If you are someone who struggles with dental hygiene due to mental health issues or neurodiversity and you just can't seem to change your routine or motivate yourself, I highly recommend investing in the right tools for you. Often advice starts with "Just form a habit! Just set a reminder!" but these things are not always enough to help when there are external stressors that cause avoidance.

An electric toothbrush and small portable waterpik have been amazing for me. I hate flossing, I find it tedious, and painful, and I avoid it. A waterpik on the other hand is fast, easy, and extremely effective. I also didn't realize how tedious I found brushing until I got an affordable electric brush. It helps do the majority of the work for me, feels nice, and has a timer to help me brush for the right amount of time. I hated mouthwash because it always burns my tongue, so I switched to alcohol-free mouthwash that doesn't.

These small changes have vastly changed my relationship to dental hygiene. If you can't get yourself to the bathroom, keep your brush by the bed. If you hate mint toothpaste use kids toothpaste with a more gentle flavor. If you need to have a brush on the go carry Colgate Wisps. Stop trying to force yourself to fit into an uncomfortable system, instead try to build one that fits your needs.

[blatentmisinformation]

Most dental tools work off the placebo effect, as the human body is able to subconsciously alter the structure of teeth under certain circumstances, but this phenomenon has yet to be consciously replicable.

[aster-spiral-30]

I need help paying for a tooth extraction 🦷

$30/200

paypal.me/AsterSpiral30

The back molar in the bottom left side of my mouth needs to be extracted.

My dentist had put on a cap to cover the tooth— and I mistakenly thought that it wasn’t as serious as time went on (from my last examination this spring).

I brushed regularly as usual, and the cap did help me.

However, the tooth started bothering me over the past four days when I eat and drink (particularly cold things like chilled water). I haven’t eaten anything sweet this week (The sugar makes me nervous).

I hope that I can get this tooth removed ASAP before it becomes far more painful.

Every little bit helps.

Please reblog.

[stroopwaifey]

Teeth Routine from a Pervious Dental Assistant🦷

Hi so I used to work as a scrub tech (sterilization tech) and then moved up to dental assistant. Here is the perfect/ideal dental hygiene routine. If you struggle to brush once a day this routine is not for you and that’s okay! Like I said this is being 100% prefect so if you can’t do everything it’s okay.

Morning ☀️

Use an electric tooth brush to brush your teeth. Some have different settings for different purposes. The most important part is that they have two minute timers so you know you are brushing long enough

Use a tongue scraper or the tongue head on your water flosser (you need a water flosser and no they are not expensive)

Mouth wash that is tailored for your needs. I tend to get gum issues so I use the gum kind

Speaking of types. There is toothpaste for all sort of needs. Whitening, gum, sensitivity, etc.

After lunch 🥗

Brush

String floss

I got in this habit working in the dental office. All the hygienists brushed after lunch.

Night 🌃

This is when 💩 gets serious

Water floss. Yes you do this first

String floss. Yes you need to do both. They both get different parts of your mouth. To use string floss the goal is to scrape the sides of the teeth not just wiggle around in there

Brush with your electric toothbrush.

Mouth wash

Whitening if you want. I recommend strong stuff first if you’re really stained to start. Don’t whiten if you haven’t seen gotten a professional cleaning for a long time, it’s pointless to whiten over plaque. After they are a good color then you can use a gentler/weaker one nightly as you sleep. I recommend colgates overnight pen.

Make sure to wear any retainers or night guards if you grind.

Sleep 😴

Remember this is a routine in a perfect world. I do it all everyday but if you struggle just take what you can do

[incognitopolls]

We ask your questions so you don’t have to! Submit your questions to have them posted anonymously as polls.

[nenelonomh]

oral hygiene practices

maintaining healthy teeth and gums is crucial for many reasons:

prevents tooth decay and gum disease. regular brushing and flossing remove plaque, a sticky film of bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease if not properly managed.

maintains fresh breath. poor oral hygiene can cause bad breath (halitosis). brushing your teeth, and tongue, and using mouthwash can help keep your breath fresh.

reduces the risk of systemic diseases. there is a strong link between oral health and overall health. poor oral hygiene can contribute to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory infections.

saves money. preventive care is often less expensive than treating dental problems. regular check-ups and cleanings can help catch issues early before they become more serious and costly.

so, let's look at some key practices to help maintain your smile.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ brush your teeth twice a day. use fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. brush for at least two minutes, making sure to clean all surfaces of your teeth.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ floss daily. flossing helps remove plaque and food particles between your teeth and under the gumline where your toothbrush can’t reach.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ use mouthwash. an antimicrobial or fluoride mouthwash can help reduce plaque, prevent cavities, and freshen your breath.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ maintain a healthy diet. limit sugary foods and drinks, as they can contribute to tooth decay. eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables can support overall oral health.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ stay hydrated. drinking plenty of water, especially fluoridated tap water, helps wash away food particles and bacteria.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ avoid tobacco products. smoking and chewing tobacco can lead to gum disease, tooth decay, and oral cancer.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ replace your toothbrush regularly. change it over every three to four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed.

ੈ✩‧₊˚ visit your dentist regularly. regular dental check-ups and professional cleanings are essential for maintaining oral health and catching any issues early.

i know that i am only reinforcing what your dentist is already telling you - but my purpose is to provide easy information and further reading resources that may teach you something new. by incorporating these practices into your daily routine, you can keep your teeth and gums healthy.

unfortunately, i know many people who ignore simple health facts (for a multitude of reasons). but this is not the way! looking after your health and your body is so important!

for further reading:

Oral Hygiene: Best Practices & Instructions for Good Routine | Cleveland Clinic

WOHD23-factsheet-oralhygiene-EN.pdf | FDI World Dental Foundation

Oral Hygiene | National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research

the original oral hygiene post (by me)

❤️ nene

[ask-a-vetblr]

Thank you so much for the detailed dentistry response. I am hoping to clarify my understanding as to why there is "no point" to annual dental cleanings if you don't brush daily. Does this mean that dental cleanings alone cannot prevent periodontal disease without daily brushing? There is only 1 toothpaste on the VOHC product list. Is there a benefit to brushing even without toothpaste, or is toothpaste necessary for the benefit? Feeling even more guilty that I only brushed intermittently, but we still have time to turn it around for my other 3yo dog.

GV here.

That is correct. Periodontal disease accumulates between cleanings. A professional cleaning, +/- extractions, eliminates the tarter that causes periodontal disease and removes teeth that have severe enough disease that they are causing bone problems. But tarter begins to accumulate 24 hours after that cleaning.

It would be like you going to the dentist for a cleaning and to have crowns put on but then not brushing your teeth again for years at a time.

There are two types of dental cleaning action - mechanical, and chemical. The mechanical aspect is brought by dental treats, food, or brushing. The chemical aspect is brought by water additives, toothpastes, etc. The best prevention of periodontal disease comes from daily use of both types on all surfaces of the teeth.

Nobody is saying that this is easy to achieve. There are plenty of people out there, some of us included, that struggle to brush our own teeth daily. But that is the gold standard for periodontal disease prevention in both humans and animals.

[xerxestexastoast]

Your occasional executive dysfunction reminder that my dental hygienist told me it was okay to brush without paste if it meant getting my teeth brushed at all. The next dental appointment I had after putting it into practice, she told me my teeth looked way better than last time

[rewcana]

everyday i think about how i wish the dent bots from the wayfarer's series were real

[chronicillnessfromateensmind]

My heart breaks more and more everytime i got to the dentist and realize just how much is effected when your chronically ill and suffer from chronic pain, it effects more that just the symptoms you’re having. mine effects my ability to brush my teeth, therefore my teeth decay. and i’m left feeling embarrassed at my inadequacies to take care of myself and the sideways glances from the dental assistant just jabbing it in more.

rationally i know im doing my best, that my disabilities hinder my ability to take care of myself sometimes. rationally i know to give myself grace, and be more understanding towards myself. but i can’t help but feel ashamed and horrible of my lack of care each time they point out another cavity. i can’t help but feel pure anger and resentment towards myself after each cleaning. and i can’t help but hate myself for being the way i am after ever dentist appointment.