What's Your Oral Hygiene Routine?

1. Biotene rinse, containing biofilm dissolving enzymes
2. Brush, electric Oral B
3. Floss, GUM EZ-Thru angled flossers
4. Periowash, herbal mouthwash

nothing fancy.
floss, sonicare, non alcoholic crest mouthwash.. call it a day?

1. Floss at night right before brushing.
2. Oral B 5000 or manual alternating every other night. manual every morning
3. Act Rinse at night, listerine in morning

electric toothbrush 2 times a day...
yeah I guess I could do more

MacPreDent said:

electric toothbrush 2 times a day...
yeah I guess I could do more

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MacPreDent said:

electric toothbrush 2 times a day...
yeah I guess I could do more

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Same...I begin flossing one week before I see my dentist. She always catches me, so what's the point. Lol

txlonghorn said:

Same...I begin flossing one week before I see my dentist. She always catches me, so what's the point. Lol

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I was doing a similar routine, but ended up with some decay between my molars, flossing is important!

iDreamofDent said:

I was doing a similar routine, but ended up with some decay between my molars, flossing is important!

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Yes, very important! As an RDH, I see this everyday. When flossing becomes a daily routine, it feels weird to not floss.

Brush morning and evening, plus sometimes right after work if I've eaten something sugary. Always floss at night before brushing. Usually use my Sonicare, but I'll use a manual brush (Oral B Cross Action) when I'm using ClinPro 5000 toothpaste because it applies it better. ACT or Crest Pro Health with Fluoride (both are CPC and fluoride rinses) usually once or twice a day after brushing.

1. Brush - Crest Electric pro
2. Floss
3. Scaler work, I have a little plaque. So until I go in...
4. Mouthwash with "the natural dentist" it's orange zest, taste like orange soda, it's very tempting...

I didn't use to floss but I've been flossing religiously several times a day for the past few years.

Floss, manual brushing and rinse repeat 2x a day.

usually i just wake up feeling like p. diddy, grab my glasses, and before i leave i brush my teeth with a bottle of jack... but today i actually used toothpaste because i knew i was coming back.

Scanning said:

1. Brush - Crest Electric pro
2. Floss
3. Scaler work, I have a little plaque. So until I go in...
4. Mouthwash with "the natural dentist" it's orange zest, taste like orange soda, it's very tempting...

I didn't use to floss but I've been flossing religiously several times a day for the past few years.

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Lol, I hope that's not the order you do it in. 3, 2, 1, 4 would be much more effective.

1. Brush (without wetting my toothbrush )
2. Crest Mouthwash
3. Floss
4. Smile at myself

1) Electric toothbrush Soniccare, I think.
2) Floss picks
3) Pro Health rinse

Alternate every night between rinse and floss picks.

amalgamgrillz said:

Lol, I hope that's not the order you do it in. 3, 2, 1, 4 would be much more effective.

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Not true. The order does not matter.

SeattleRDH said:

Not true. The order does not matter.

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Actually, it does. Brushing and mouthwash can't combat the bacteria if there's calculus on top, or if there's interproximal junk.

The Crest ProHealth mouth rinse made me lose my sensation of taste...took a few days of not using it for it to come back. I won't touch the stuff anymore.

bconway52 said:

The Crest ProHealth mouth rinse made me lose my sensation of taste...took a few days of not using it for it to come back. I won't touch the stuff anymore.

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That's really weird. I've been using it for about 3 years now.

I chew a bag of pop rocks morning and night and swish with Dr. Pepper to get in between my teeth.

RSimon said:

I chew a bag of pop rocks morning and night and swish with Dr. Pepper to get in between my teeth.

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haha, right on

Floss, manual brush, then Listerine. However, I think Santa is hooking it up with a nice electric toothbrush this Christmas (YAY!)

1. Sonicare (3rd sonicare that I have bought...they keep breaking!) (twice a day)
2. Floss (once a day, at night)
3. Listerine (once a day, at night)

Is an electric toothbrush really worth it, compared to one of those $3 toothbrushes you can get at the grocery store? I thought my dentist said it makes no difference. But I'll ask him next time I visit!

I've used every major electric toothbrush that's come out in the last two decades (even the old Interplak with individually rotating bristle bundles!) and all the major styles of manual brushes. Yes, I have used frayed neem twigs from India, sans the burnt cow dung.

Hands down, the very best electric toothbrush I have ever used is the Rota-dent one-step. I only like to use the cone-shaped brush heads for it. No other consumer brush works quite as well for me. The only downside is that they are not available at normal retail stores and I had to get mine through a dentist. I actually can't remember how many years I had mine for, but it was solid as a rock and never gave me any problems. The only reason I had to get a new one last year was because my old one was in a suitcase that got launched from a beach out into the ocean by a tornado. You heard it here first: a Rota-dent won't protect itself against tornados. (There is a lifetime warranty, but "Acts_of_God" are specifically excluded from coverage.)

Of the electric toothbrushes that are available in a pharmacy or regular store, I think the newer Sonicare brushes edge out the others in terms of how easy it is to get your teeth clean, but I think all brands are of similar efficacy. As long as you are conscientious, any brush will do just fine, even a manual. One thing I do not like about the Sonicare is that the rubber buttons/switches wear out over a few years of daily use.

My favorite manual brush ever has got to be the Nimbus Microfine.

In the end, technique and awareness beat any tool. The tools just make it easier and/or more fun.

amalgamgrillz said:

Actually, it does. Brushing and mouthwash can't combat the bacteria if there's calculus on top, or if there's interproximal junk.

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I think I know a thing or two about cleaning teeth.

It does not matter if one brushes or flosses first. Bacteria can still be removed with calculus present, though the amount and location of calculus makes a difference in this case. Bacteria cannot get under calculus because calculus is adhered directly to the tooth surface.

A scaler that one buys at the drug store will not remove calculus because it is too dull. Also, a "professional" scaler will soon become too dull to be effective unless the user has a sharpening stone and knows how to use it. Anyone who uses a scaler in their homecare routine is likely just burnishing calculus or worse, removing cementum.

Over the counter mouthwashes do not clean teeth. Only disruption of the biofilm will remove harmful bacteria. Everyone should just save their money and rinse with water. Unless, of course, you like the taste and it motivates you to spend more time on your oral hygiene routine. Chlorhexidine rinses are another story....

SeattleRDH said:

I think I know a thing or two about cleaning teeth.

It does not matter if one brushes or flosses first. Bacteria can still be removed with calculus present, though the amount and location of calculus makes a difference in this case. Bacteria cannot get under calculus because calculus is adhered directly to the tooth surface.

A scaler that one buys at the drug store will not remove calculus because it is too dull. Also, a "professional" scaler will soon become too dull to be effective unless the user has a sharpening stone and knows how to use it. Anyone who uses a scaler in their homecare routine is likely just burnishing calculus or worse, removing cementum.

Over the counter mouthwashes do not clean teeth. Only disruption of the biofilm will remove harmful bacteria. Everyone should just save their money and rinse with water. Unless, of course, you like the taste and it motivates you to spend more time on your oral hygiene routine. Chlorhexidine rinses are another story....

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Howcome dentists and dental assistants always encourage mouthwash then?

amalgamgrillz said:

Lol, I hope that's not the order you do it in. 3, 2, 1, 4 would be much more effective.

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3,1,2,4 usually.

1. Floss every night
2. Sonicare for about five minutes
3. Listerine Antiseptic mouth rinse
4. Original ACT Fluoride mouth rinse

duckdds said:

Howcome dentists and dental assistants always encourage mouthwash then?

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If they are recommending fluoride mouthwash (like ACT) then it's to prevent decay, not to clean teeth.