I am proud to say that I have all my own teeth at the age of 65. While that may not sound unusual to some people, everyone in my family who is my age or older wears dentures. I always tell people that that flossing is the key to good dental health. I have arthritis in my hands, but I don't let it keep me from flossing every day. My trick is to use those little "flossers" you can buy at the drug store. They have plastic handles floss stretched out on top of the handle. These make flossing easier on days when my arthritis is acting up. I started this blog to let other people know that they can keep their teeth healthy into old age when they take care of them. If you have hand pain, find ways to make flossing easier, like I did.
Don't Let Hand Pain Keep You from Flossing
Essential Dental Tools You Should Be Using
Francis Miles
If you don't have the right dental care tools at your disposal then it can be more difficult for you to take good care of your teeth. There are a lot of great tools on the market and you can easily purchase them at your local pharmacy or grocery store. Here are five dental care tools that can help you with your dental care:
Dental floss
While most people know they should be using dental floss to remove food particles and bacteria after they eat, a lot of people still don't make a regular habit out of using it. You can purchase the floss that comes in a small box that you wrap around your fingers or you can buy very convenient flossing picks that have about an inch of floss on a stick that is easier for you to manage. Whichever floss you decide to go with, it's important to get in the habit of using it daily.
Water pick
While floss can really help you to remove food from between your teeth it can't always reach in all areas of your teeth. This is where a water pick can come in to help you out. A water pick will blast a strong stream of water in specific areas helping to remove debris that normal floss can't reach. You will move the nozzle around to spray the strong stream of water exactly where you need it.
Electric toothbrush
While brushing your teeth with a manual toothbrush can help reduce your chances of developing cavities, there is an even more surefire way to fight plaque and tartar and that is to instead use an electric toothbrush. This type of toothbrush moves much faster than you would be able to move your regular toothbrush with your hand and this means more plaque will be taken off of the surfaces of your teeth.
Mouthwash
Mouthwash is another dental care tool that not enough people make use of and those that do may be using it wrong. Mouthwash is a very important tool in the dental care arsenal that can help kill off a lot of damaging germs and bacteria. However, in order for it to be allowed to do its job correctly it should be used to swish and gargle with and then you should avoid drinking anything for a while afterward and this includes water.
Peroxide
Peroxide can help to clean a person's mouth and even whiten their teeth when it is mixed with baking soda and used to brush. Peroxide can also help to relieve the pain of a toothache when it is swished around in your mouth and spit out.
Talk to a dentist like Matthew C. Cheney, DMD for information on the tools needed for your dental health.
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