How showering helps improve oral hygiene

It is important to look after our teeth and gums every day. It has been clinically proven that only brushing your teeth properly, twice a day is not sufficient for effective hygiene of the teeth, but especially of the interdental spaces and the gum line. After a complete tooth brushing, performed with a manual toothbrush or an electric toothbrush, there are spaces where food debris and unremoved bacterial plaque remain. Flossing in addition to brushing is fine, but if you really want your oral hygiene to be even more rigorous, you should consider mouthwashing.

A mouth irrigator is ideal for people with dental implants, crowns, bridges or braces, for people with periodontal disease, but also for anyone who wants healthy teeth and an attractive smile.

How to use a mouth irrigator?

For effective and safe cleaning, you need to follow a few basic rules:

• Use mouthwash after your basic brushing
• The irrigator head should be positioned to allow free flow of liquid into the mouth
• Use only disinfected water or special mouthwash solutions. Ordinary tap water is rarely of good quality and can damage the device.
• Do not douche if you suffer from acute periodontitis
• Do not use a mouth irrigator the first day after dental implants or prosthetic work
• Patients with chronic cardiovascular disease should consult a doctor before using mouthwash.

How do we choose a mouth shower?

Depending on your needs, a mouth irrigator can be of two kinds: portable and stationary. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages.

The portable irrigator is especially useful for traveling and, if necessary, you can also use it at work. But at the same time, the reservoir, power and run time are lower than with a stationary mouth shower.

In turn, the stationary mouth shower provides maximum power when in use, and has a much larger water tank. But it is more expensive compared to a handheld mouth shower.

The mouth shower may contain one or more types of heads in the basic kit, which can also be purchased separately:

• The standard tip is suitable for cleaning healthy teeth and gums.
• The orthodontic tip is used for cleaning orthodontic appliances.
• For periodontal disease, a thin soft rubber tip is used to direct the flow of water past the gumline into the periodontal pocket. It should not be used at full strength.
• The tip for removing plaque from implants, crowns and bridges has 3 tufts of bristles at the tip.
• The tongue cleaning tip has a brush that removes plaque from the tongue and cheeks, eliminating the cause of bad breath.
  

Taking exemplary care of your teeth and gums depends not only on maintaining your cleaning routine, but also on choosing the right devices and products. If the optimum minimum number of daily brushings is two, and if they are performed correctly, the type of toothbrush will dictate the duration of the cleaning process. Brushing teeth with a manual toothbrush takes a minimum of 3-4 minutes, whereas an electric toothbrush can halve this time. Using toothbrushes with special surfaces for the tongue as well as mouthwashes enhance the bacteria-fighting effect.

Dental floss also helps not only to remove food debris but also to reduce plaque. However, unlike a toothbrush, dental floss can only be used once a day because of the risk of gum inflammation. Using mouthwash increases the cleanliness of the oral cavity and keeps breath fresh for a period of time.