Bacteria and Plaque
How Bacteria Attaches itself to the Tooth and Forms Plaque...
When discussing the importance of brushing teeth, it’s essential to understand that bacteria attaches to the tooth enamel using the outside membrane of the bacteria cell. If your child is not brushing his/her teeth thoroughly or often enough, your child will end up with a large number of bacteria attached to his or her teeth. When you get a large number of attached bacteria concentrated in an area of a tooth, you have bacteria plaque forming. Bacteria plaque is a population of bacteria cells feeding on leftover food debris. These leftovers are decomposed (catabolized) by the bacteria cells to provide themselves with carbon. During this catabolization process, the bacteria produce acid wastes which are harmful to the life of the bacteria cells. The bacteria cells therefore secrete these acid wastes to the tooth enamel thus beginning the process of tooth decay.
This is why proper brushing of teeth is so important. Correct tooth brushing removes bacteria and plaque from your child’s teeth. Brushing teeth correctly also minimizes the attachment of bacteria thus preventing the formation of additional bacterial plague.
As you can see, it is important for your child to brush his/her teeth, so the question remains… just how s/he should brush correctly and maintain good oral health.
Brushing teeth is not rocket science, however it is important to brush teeth in a way so as to remove bacteria and bacteria plague in order to prevent tooth decay. Brushing ones’ teeth, although not complicated, is something most of us simply do not know how to do properly so we improvise.
Tooth Brushing Tips
1. Make your child brush his/her teeth after every meal whenever possible. Bacteria begins attacking your child’s teeth minutes after eating a meal. By tooth brushing after every meal your child will minimize the bacteria’s chances of getting a foot hold on his/her teeth.
2. Ask your child to brush at a 45 degree angle to his/her teeth. Make your child brush his/her teeth, always directing the bristles of the toothbrush between the neck of the tooth and the gum. Ask him/her to use a gentle, circular motion up and down, trying to massage the gums at the same time.
3. If your child can’t brush his/her teeth after a meal, at the very least, ask your child to brush his/her teeth in the morning and again in the evening before bed (while your child sleeps, saliva production is lessened and bacteria act more readily).
4. Make your child change his or her tooth brushing pattern from time to time since if the way he or she brushes leaves a certain spot of one tooth not brushed, then repeating the same pattern will always leave that spot unbrushed. By changing tooth brushing pattern your child will ensure that all the tooth surfaces are getting a thorough tooth brushing.
5. See that your child does not scrub the tooth enamel. Brushing teeth too hard can cause gums to recede visibly. Brushing teeth hard does not equal a thorough cleaning.
6. Make sure that your child cleans every surface of the tooth. It’s important, when brushing teeth, to thoroughly brush the chewing surface, the cheek side and the tongue side of every tooth.
7. Ask your child to take time for brushing his/her teeth in order to do it correctly. Tooth brushing is not a race. Thorough cleaning of teeth takes at least 2 minutes, so ask your child to relax while brushing and to enjoy it.
8. Choose the right toothbrush for your child. When choosing a toothbrush, a soft toothbrush with rounded bristles will do just fine. The shape and size of the toothbrush should be such, so as to allow your child to reach all the way to his/her back teeth. Your child doesn’t need a fancy toothbrush. A common toothbrush in the hand of somebody who knows how to brush his/her teeth is an excellent tool indeed.
9. Change your child’s toothbrush often. It is important to change your child’s toothbrush at least every 4 months, more often if you wish.
