Following #flossgate, that got us all in a tizzy about whether to continue with flossing our teeth or to quit, many of us may have lost faith in the dental tools we use to keep our mouths clean.
But fear not, our experts here at comparethtreatment.com have insider knowledge on the cutting-edge equipment that will ensure you have whiter, healthier teeth.
Despite the debate over dental floss, dentists remain in agreement that it is still important to clean between our pearly whites as well as the rest of our mouth.
But what other essentials do we need to keep our mouths fresh, sexy and kissable?
We set two of our dental experts the task of dreaming up an all-essential teeth-cleaning kit that is guaranteed to keep your teeth in shipshape condition should you ever get marooned on a desert island!
Singing Dentist and comparethetratment.com, Milad Shadrooh says:
‘I’d make sure I’d pack a Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean toothbrush, dental floss (because my anteriors are too tight for TePe interdental brushes), and a Philips Airfloss Pro, which I like to use with a little mouthwash. I’d also take a tongue scraper — this is essential to remove all that food debris from the tongue! I like to use the BreathRx scraper and tongue spray.’
Cosmetic dentist Thomas Norlin adds:
‘My essential teeth cleaning kit would include a Braun Oral B 7000 electric toothbrush — I like the pressure sensitive head and the timer on the LCD screen as this gives the teeth that sparkle and clean feeling. Colgate Total is still my favourite toothpaste — it’s a good all-rounder that keeps cavities and plaque away. I like Oral-B Floss tape for the interdental clean and the Wisdom Clean Between Brush for the same. The Clean Between is a great device — something between a brooch and a stick and yet soft — great for those situations when there’s no floss at hand! At last, a good rinse with CB12, of course. Leaving with fresh breath for 12 hours (and not just minty smell for two minutes) is good both morning and evening. The added fluoride and no gritty bits in the mouth feel great.
‘Since I travel a lot, I always have my travel kit ready. In here I have a Colgate ProClinic electric toothbrush. Takes no more space than a normal and still clean for a week or 2 on one charge and it can be recharged on a USB cable. I tend to keep Braun Oral-B toothpaste in my travel kit there is always load of samples in the practise so I constantly keep topping up my travel essentials with these. Again I have the tape floss and some Clean between brushes with me and of course to 50ml refillable travel bottle of CB12.’
And, other ways to keep your mouth healthy?...
- Stay hydrated. Natural still water is the best thing for this and your teeth will thank you for not indulging in those sugary drinks and treats, too!
- Enjoy the sun. Teeth are made up of similar tissues as bones and need vitamin D so, while marooned, you can be sure that you’re getting a regular top-up of the ‘sunshine’ vitamin to keep both healthy!
- Get chewing. Make sure you pack some sugarfree chewing gum because it helps protect your teeth and gums in between meals by stimulating saliva — the mouth's natural defence against acid — which clears away food debris on which bacteria thrive!
- Go fishing! Studies suggest that eating a Mediterranean diet can halve the risk of developing mouth cancer, so enjoy those fruits, vegetables, legumes, wholegrains and olive oil that may be in abundance — and fashion a fishing line from the birch of a tree as soon as possible — fish is an all-essential source of omega-3 fatty acid DHA. A study reveals that people who lacked this in their diet were 1.5 times more likely to have periodontal problems such as tooth decay and gum disease than those who got the most!
- And, finally, don’t forget your dental floss (despite what some say)! Google ‘dental floss desert island’ and you will discover countless ways to use dental floss should you be ever be trapped on a desert island — with a trip wire, lashing together branches for a shelter, and a clothes line some of the favourite suggestions!
