I didn’t brush my teeth as a child and teen because I had energy issues and I struggled to actually do them; I still struggle to do it today.
I rarely floss because it seems like a lot of work for seemingly little gains.
I got plaque again after getting teeth cleaned some weeks ago. I guess my teeth is screwed…
Grew up poor, no insurance so couldn’t go to the dentist.
Saw on Reddit to get an electric toothbrush so I got one when I was younger. Brush twice a day with it. Never got cavities with 5 years of no dentist.
Now I also floss once a day, tongue scrape once a day, mouth wash once a day.
If you do any one thing, buy an electric toothbrush.
Flossing is really important. It’s hard to comprehend the gains but since bacteria grow exponentially, removing the small amount between your teeth has outsized benefits.
I bought a water jet for flossing purposes, it’s a lot easier and cleaner than dental floss
My parents have one and it’s pretty nice. I want to get one for me too.
I brush my teeth 2-3x a day, floss a few times a week (I know, I know…), and pray that I don’t get a cavity because I don’t have dental insurance.
I also try to drink water and avoid sugary drinks. I think one really important thing is brushing your teeth before bed, because not doing so gives bacteria a lot of time to do their thing relatively undisturbed.
Oh and try to aim for 2-3 minutes of brushing. I used to have a nice electric toothbrush with at timer but it died, so I just set my digital watch’s alarm for 2 minutes and every 30 seconds I switch quadrants. It’s all about not giving germs a huge window of time to grow exponentially.
Recently my dentist advised i get some special high floride toothpaste ($25 for 2 tubes from the dental office), which i am supposed to use once a day and leave on my teeth (spitting out the excess) instead of rinsing. I’m told the floride will be absorbed into the outer layer of my teeth, making it more resistant to bacteria. Maybe you could look into something like that.
I brush my teeths after every meal and I try to not eat the enormous quantities of sugar that the food industry tries to shove in you.
Brush.
Don’t go to the dentist.
I don’t floss, but I brush once, sometimes twice a day.
My dentist says my teeth are in great health, and considering he’d get more money from me if he said they were bad and needed work I am inclined to believe him.
I have energy issues too. It really sucks passing out because I have sinus issues too and end up breathing through my mouth when I sleep sometimes.
Flossing daily helps me. Also using the little hook tool to scrape under the gums.
The biggest game changer is baking soda and peroxide toothpaste though. Even if you don’t have time for a full cleaning the suds keeps your pH in balance and prevents growth for a couple hours after brushing. Regular toothpaste doesn’t do shit.
Also using the little hook tool to scrape under the gums.
So that is the use of the hook thingy on floss picks…
The biggest game changer is baking soda and peroxide toothpaste though
How do I make it?
No it’s like the one the dentist uses. My local dollar store sells them.
No need to make it, just get it from the store.
No it’s like the one the dentist uses. My local dollar store sells them.
Oh. What is the hook on the floss picks used for then?
Probably the same thing but plastic doesn’t work anywhere near as good as metal. Actually you want the tip to be really pointy sharp too, so the one in the picture I linked sucks too.
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Keeping track of my brushing and flossing helped me become consistent. I use the Android application Loop Habit Tracker. It might also be helpful to designate a set time for brushing, say, right after waking up.
I was going to say literally the same. What a great app. Btw it’s better to brush after breakfast. (at least imho since if done before breakfast would taste like thootpaste ..)_
My usually breakfast is black coffee with cold oats in milk, which uh, doesn’t leave much room for a toothpaste flavor :) but yeah, brushing afterwards is typically nicer; I was just too inconsistent to make it work
maybe neutralize the acidity frequently by swishing baking soda.
hydrogen peroxide is another good mouthwash.
edit: do not brush directly after eating acidic food.deleted by creator
If you can get close to eliminating sugar and simple starches from your daily diet, that alone will prevent a lot of plaque build-up and even slow/prevent advancement of tooth decay (within reason… Please see a dentist and get tooth decay fixed before it destroys your quality of life).
Sugary foods include things like dried fruit. Simple starches include crackers and most bread (I find a crusty open-crumb sourdough to cause less plaque buildup than a fluffy yeast loaf, despite being basically the same ingredients.)
What do you mean by
energy issues
lethargic or hyperactive? If is about lethargic you should address your mental health hard to improve your mood. If its hypeactive, the same advise but focus more on organization and priorities. Like others have suggested floss while doing other things like on the computer or watching TV. Use any tools that help you keep you productive like Calendar, Task apps and its reminders, alarms, Notes app and, use the widgets on the Phone HomeScreen.
On the oral hygiene topic I’ll say if you can, buy an electric tooth brush. You can buy a good one for less than $50 on ebay. I also notice that using a regular floss was tedious until I tried a better one like ‘Listerine Ultraclean Mint Floss’. Regarding Mouthwashs there a various types of it. Try which one you really like the most and that will help you use it more often.
Are you able to brush your teeth twice a day every day?
yes.
I brush my teeth twice a day
