Is getting a scale and polish at the dentist really needed every 6 months?

rageagainstessays

I had slight calculus on the back molars, but I got this removed by my dentist with some kind of ultrasonic tool that just felt like I'd put my toothbrush in my mouth without the head and turned it on. It wasn't painful at all.
I recommend for everyone to brush with an ultrasonic toothbrush because it seriously makes you realise how furry your teeth felt without it, especially on the back teeth. I have a phillips sonicare.
I'm thinking of getting a Phillips airfloss to meet my flossing needs because I find that getting floss that I like (OralB satin tape) can be difficult. Is it worth it?

brook2jack

Stick with floss. Airfloss expensive gimmick doesn't work as well as ordinary floss.

Padstow

I love the input from the Dentists and read their links provided with interest. I have questions ready to ask them. and my fellow posters. 'till then ...

One thing they recommend that I can't bear, is not rinsing my mouth after brushing.
I tepee and brush, then squish and squish and still little bits come out. The bits then surely would be there all night if I didn't squish properly?

I am a nut and seed fiend by the way, so bits of walnuts?

sammyjammy

blue_mango wrote: »

I started brushing my teeth after every meal/sweet drink few months ago. It's not a waste of time for me and I don't feel obsessed, simply spare a minute for that when washing up after the meal. The feeling is so good when your mouth is clean all the time, not planning to back...

My dentist says that cleaning your teeth within half an hour of eating or drinking is the worst thing you can do, that is unless you've used mouthwash first because it rebalances the PH of your mouth, if you've used that then you can clean as often as you like.

brook2jack

Many mouthwashes have an acid ph so they will make things worse.

Certainly you shouldn't brush within an hour of eating or drinking anything acidic e.g. fruit juice.

C_Mababejive

Perhaps the best solution for toothpaste and not rinsing would be the final clean of the gnashers before bed. That way it has all night to do its stuff ?

Toothsmith

Padstow wrote: »

I love the input from the Dentists and read their links provided with interest. I have questions ready to ask them. and my fellow posters. 'till then ...

One thing they recommend that I can't bear, is not rinsing my mouth after brushing.
I tepee and brush, then squish and squish and still little bits come out. The bits then surely would be there all night if I didn't squish properly?

I am a nut and seed fiend by the way, so bits of walnuts?

A lot of people feel the same way, and this......

C_Mababejive wrote: »

Perhaps the best solution for toothpaste and not rinsing would be the final clean of the gnashers before bed. That way it has all night to do its stuff ?

......is certainly one solution.

The goal is to have traces of toothpaste left on and around your teeth for an extended time. How you get there is up to you.

Maybe you could give your teeth a good rinse first to get rid of the loose bits, then brush and don't rinse.

Maybe you could brush around with no toothpaste to loosen the debris, rinse, then brush again with toothpaste.

Perhaps even brush as normal, rinse out, then just go round again with another smear of toothpaste and not rinse after this second time?

There are ways to do it that get to the desired goal whilst still allowing you to feel you've 'done it properly'!

C_Mababejive

You see i had a misunderstanding about Fluoride in toothpaste. I had always thought it had something vaguely to do with strengthening enamel but now it seems it has a part to play in tartar control? how does this happen? I do think the dentists input in this forum is very valuable as one thing the UK needs is better dental hygiene..

Toothsmith

The advice to keep the toothpaste in contact with the teeth for longer IS to do with the fluoride strengthening the enamel and working against decay, more than to do with reducing tartar. - But it was mentioned here as it's all part of the toothbrushing routine and what is current 'best advice'.

nyc_451

So should I start feeling that something is wrong with my teeth if I brush after every meal? I've been doing this every day for more than two months now and it feels great.