Oral care routine

If you are lazy or uninterested to read everything, just scroll yourself to the ending gist and inculcate it into your daily habits:

Typically and popularly, one wakes up in the morning, reaches out for their toothbrush and toothpaste to clean the teeth, use a scraper to clean the tongue, a mouthwash top-up to rinse their mouth and may also repeat this twice a day. However, this is inefficient, and the following could be a more efficient oral care routine that one can adopt:

1) Hydration and Morning Calm 

Wake up early on the right side of the bed, say a prayer, and fill up a litre bottle with lukewarm water to consume—tech gadgets and other activities away, of course. What this does is it really slows the morning or wake state. The lukewarm water not only softens the overnight dental plaque, but it also helps in systemic rehydration, boosting immunity, and taking all that oral microbial content into the stomach to aid digestion. 

2) Conscious Teeth Cleaning

After this, one can actually go ahead and eat some fruits or perform the act of teeth cleaning. The popular method is toothbrush and toothpaste; however, tooth powder is ideal. Not just nanjangud tooth powder, any genuine herbal tooth powder. Even a neem stick is a good idea. The reason for this can be discussed in another blog—let’s stick to the oral care routine in this one. Make sure to clean the teeth consciously; the reason is that one often cleans their teeth at X physical location but is mentally in Y location. This unconscious, not-being-present-in-the-moment toothbrushing often results in damage to the premolars and molars (back teeth). Compared to the front teeth, they are slightly more difficult to reach, and because of inattentiveness, they get ignored. As a result, plaque builds up over time, leading to decay and eventual loss of the tooth. 

3) Avoid Tongue Scrapers 

The use of tongue scrapers to clean the tongue seems to be a negative product of consumerist culture. Both 'lethal' and 'non-lethal' tongue scrapers can be harsh on the tongue; they appear to do the job at that moment, but long-term use damages taste buds. Ideally, do not use tongue scrapers. Just use the toothbrush bristles on your tongue in a light, back-and-forth motion to clear out the depositions.

4) Rethink Mouthwash 

Some individuals use a few millilitres of mouthwash to feel “more” fresh than the freshness already provided by toothbrushing activity. That expectation will likely be fulfilled, but at the cost of disturbing one’s oral microbiome. The entire mouthwash industry was—and continues to be—built on shaming and fear-based consumerism. Mouthwash companies sell their products as a solution to overcome bad breath. However, bad breath can be caused by multiple localised and systemic factors. In an attempt to mask bad breath, alcoholic mouthwash can cause a state of dysbiosis; in other words, both good and bad bacteria are dislodged. Ideally, the good bacteria should thrive, and the bad should be minimized. Non-alcoholic mouthwashes don’t have much use when used right after toothbrushing; however, they can be useful post-meal. Additionally, oil pulling with coconut oil or sesame oil can be highly beneficial.

5) The Underrated Practice of Rinsing 

Rinsing and swirling one’s mouth with regular tap water or non-alcoholic, low-pH mouthwash right after every meal, sugary snack, or acidic beverage is a very underrated and understated part of every individual’s oral care routine. Just like how toothbrushing is an unsaid rule in one’s life, rinsing the mouth after food and beverage consumption should be preached more by dentists. The swirling of the liquid around the mouth really gets into the nooks and corners of the oral cavity and helps remove tiny food particles. This prevents bacteria from thriving on them and producing lactic acid. It helps maintain the oral cavity at a neutral pH, which is crucial if one wants to safeguard their teeth and overall systemic health.

6) Night Brushing and Natural Odour 

Toothbrushing a second time at night is more of a marketing ploy than a necessary habit. However, if one has poor nutrition choices (sugar-heavy diets) or is suffering from certain illnesses, it is advised to brush teeth twice a day or more. Keeping in mind that all basic hygienic practices are performed, embracing one’s natural odour transitions through a 24-hour cycle should be normalised and not shamed or looked down upon. Consumer products are not the solution for every problem—and definitely not for the ones created by product or service companies. They thrive on the population's insecurities. Be aware.

Gist: 

• wake up, drink 1L lukewarm water
• brush teeth with nanjangud tooth powder and soft brush; clean tongue using bristles from same brush
• rinse the mouth well with water after every meal and drink
• drink 2-3 litres of water everyday