When it comes to dental care, you should have more tools in your arsenal than just a simple toothbrush, but when you’re choosing other options to add to your medicine cabinet, make sure to choose wisely.
You probably have floss in your bathroom, but do you also have a waterpik? Most experts say that waterpiks aren’t a substitute for flossing, but can sometimes offer a better option for some people who have sensitive gums or active gum disease.
Waterpiks, also known as oral irrigators and dental water jets, are devices that aim a high-pressure stream of water out of a thin opening to clean food particles from between your teeth. If flossing causes bleeding in areas where your gums are sensitive, waterpiks might be a better choice for you, says Livestrong. Plus, for people with active gum disease, waterpiks are able to flush food particles from deep pockets in the gums that floss is unable to reach.
Waterpiks, however, are really only able to rinse teeth, so if there is a build-up of plaque and other materials between your teeth, flossing could be the better option. The best method? A combination of both tools.
Tongue Scrapers
What about a tongue scraper? Many people who suffer from severe halitosis, or bad breath, might benefit from this tool. Scraping your tongue basically involves dragging this tool from the back of your tongue to the front a couple of times on a daily basis, which removes the build-up of bacteria and other toxins that can sit on the tongue and are oftentimes ignored, notes The Huffington Post. Sure, we clean on and around our teeth, but we often forget about our tongues! Many people who find they have awful breath will notice a significant difference once they’ve been using a tongue scraper for a few days.
There are tons of other oral hygiene aids and dental cleaning products for you to try, from rinses to stimulators to interdental cleaners.
For more information on how to keep your pearly whites – and the rest of your mouth – happy and healthy, make an appointment for your next cleaning at Genesee Dental today online or call us at 585-343-1113!