7 Things You Need to Make an Essential Kit for Your Dental Hygiene

woman brushing teeth

Dental hygiene is a very important part of your overall health, not just oral health. Poor dental hygiene can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, and even gut problems. To help you stay on track with your dental hygiene routine, we have created this brief checklist of what it takes to create a complete dental essential kit.

What it takes to maintain optimum dental hygiene

Maintaining good dental hygiene is a simple but effective way to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other health problems that are directly associated with your oral hygiene. And some of the best ways to maintain good dental hygiene include brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing, and making sure you visit your dentist for regular checkups.

Fortunately, like other aspects of your health, you can maintain good dental health by both following a simple routine and having a few essentials in your dental kit. For instance, when you brush your teeth as per the instructions, you not only clean the visible surface of the teeth but also remove plaque from between the teeth.

As for the dental essentials, here are 7 tools that you must have in your kit for complete oral care.   

Soft bristles

A soft-bristled toothbrush allows you to clean your teeth without wearing away the enamel over time, which can directly leave your teeth at the risk of decay and cavities. It is a good option for people with sensitive teeth as it doesn’t harm the teeth and still gets the job done.

Hard bristles, on the other hand, can damage sensitive gums or cause receding gums, which over time can lead to tooth loss. Instead, using a soft-bristled toothbrush is also a great way to prevent gingivitis, a common gum disease that can lead to periodontal disease if left untreated.

Fluoride

Fluoride toothpaste is a must for healthy teeth and gums. It works by strengthening the enamel in your teeth and by preventing bacteria from adhering to your teeth and causing decay. Fluoride also helps reduce plaque buildup, which is a leading cause of gum disease, making fluoride a dental essential for your oral hygiene kit.

That being said, regardless of how effective fluoride is, anything in excess can be bad for you. The Food and Drug Administration recommends using only a pea-sized amount of toothpaste when brushing your teeth as overuse can cause you to swallow some of the fluoride, which can be harmful if consumed in large amounts.

Threads

Food left on the teeth long enough forms into dental plaque, which hardens and adheres to the tooth's surface. The bacteria in plaque can cause tooth decay and gum disease when they are not properly removed from the mouth. Dental floss is a type of interdental cleaner that prevents plaque build-up by cleaning off food particles caught in and between the teeth, where brushing can't reach. Because it also reduces the risk of gingivitis - the mildest form of periodontitis - dental floss is a dental kit must-have.

women flossing

Oral rinse

A great way to improve oral health is by using an oral rinse, more specifically antimicrobial mouthwash. The purpose of an oral rinse is to remove food particles and plaque from hard-to-reach places that brushing can't reach. Mouthwashes with antibacterial properties are particularly helpful in reducing plaque buildup by eliminating harmful bacteria that cause bad breath and other infections in the mouth.

Picks

Toothpicks are small, easy to use, and make a big difference in cleaning your teeth and gums. They are relatively less abrasive than mouthwashes due to the absence of chemical content and require less time than flossing when it comes to eliminating food particles from even the most remote corners of your mouth - making them a great addition to your daily oral hygiene routine.

Tongue cleaner

Most people forget that cleaning the tongue is a huge part of oral hygiene. A tongue cleaner is a small, curved device that is used to clean the rough surface of the tongue. It removes bacteria, food debris, and dead cells from the tongue surface. They can also help reduce bad breath by scraping away some of the nasty bacteria on your tongue, leaving your oral care routine complete.

Protective case

A good case is essential for keeping your toothbrush clean, dry, and safe from damage. Bad cases can harbor germs and bacteria, which are not only unsanitary but can also be harmful to your health. BrushGuard is a safe and hygienic solution for storing the most important tool from your dental kit - your toothbrush. It reduces the risk of transmission of bacteria, cross-contamination, and airborne germs by protecting your toothbrush in an ultra-efficient protective case, which can be customized for each family member.