MY advice would be to start the year determined to place greater emphasis on your oral health, and to begin by learning the essentials. You should keep this article for reference. Now, the effective control of plaque (bacteria and food particles sticking to the surface of unclean teeth) represents the basis of oral health. It is not of primary importance which method is used to remove plaque, provided that the required objective is achieved. So even if your toothbrush was lost, you can still take good care of your mouth. However, try to get a toothbrush, as it is the ideal tool for oral care.

Two important factors must be considered when brushing teeth. First, you must strictly follow a specific sequence. For example, begin with the last left upper molar, then move to the last right upper molar, then down to the last right lower molar, and finally across to the last lower molar.

The other important factor is thoroughness. The entire surface of each tooth, as well as the interdental area, should be sanitised for 1 minute each day. If, therefore, you have all your permanent teeth, you should spend a total of thirty-two minutes every day practising oral care. Remember, you do not need toothpaste; plain water will do.

There are eight scientific methods of toothbrushing, the most widely accepted being the Modified Stillman. This method is designed for massage and stimulation as well as for cleaning the neck area of the tooth. The brush ends are placed partly on the gum and partly on the neck area of the tooth and are directed towards the root of the tooth. Moderate pressure is applied, and the handle is given a slight rotary motion while the brush ends remain in position on the tooth surface, always in the direction of tooth growth.

Repeat many times before moving to the adjacent tooth, and do not forget to include the palatal (inner) faces. The biting surfaces are cleaned by vibrating the brush with light pressure while maintaining the bristle tips on the occlusal surface, allowing them to work their way into pits and fissures.

Excessive pressure curves the bristles, so the tips cannot reach the pits and fissures. The most effective time to brush is just before retiring for the night. The use of toothpaste or dentifrice is not essential, though the regular brands, which contain nine ingredients including abrasives, detergents, fluoride, binders, and humectants, help facilitate our objective.

Because plaque on the surfaces between two teeth is inaccessible to usual brushing, a means of proximal plaque removal is necessary for complete preventive care. The use of dental floss or tape should always precede brushing. (Three strands of thread together will suffice in this crisis.) Hold a 12-inch length of floss with the thumb and index finger of each hand. Grasp firmly with a half-inch of floss between the fingertips. The ends of the floss may be tucked into the palm and held by the ring and little finger, or the floss may be wrapped around the middle finger.

For the upper teeth, the floss should be directed up by holding it over two thumbs or a thumb and an index finger. Rest the side of a finger on the teeth of the opposite side of the upper arch to provide balance and a fulcrum. When flossing the lower or mandibular teeth, direct the floss down by holding the index fingers on the top of the strand. One index finger holds the floss on the lingual and outer (facial) surfaces. Hold the floss in a diagonal or oblique position and ease it past each contact area with a gentle sawing motion, curving the floss around each tooth, working from below the gum line, making up-and-down motions and shoe-shine strokes.

Diet plays an integral part in oral care. In this regard, food is classified into two categories: protective and cariogenic. Cariogenic foods contribute significantly to the formation of caries, especially those that are sugary and sticky. Sugar is converted to acid faster than starch, while the sticky property facilitates more prolonged contact with the enamel.

Protective food is generally fibrous and contains vitamins, minerals, and fluoride. Greens, vegetables, ground provisions, corn, etc., are examples of protective foods. Although avoiding cariogenic foods is ideal, extra oral care is required after use. Vigorous mouth rinsing with water, when toothbrushing is not practical, should be practised.

Dental plaque can sometimes mineralise (harden), forming calculus (tartar). These appear as brown or greenish crusts on the enamel around the neck areas or on the inside (lingual) surface of the lower incisors (front teeth). As the calculus develops, it penetrates below the gum line, infecting the gum, connecting fibres, and bone.

This condition, called periodontitis, is just as common as caries. When periodontitis becomes chronic, the signs include easy haemorrhage (the patient spits blood when brushing), receding gums (the tooth appears to be growing longer), and alveolar bone resorption with deep pockets between the gum and tooth (the tooth becomes loose or shaky).

Scaling, root planing, and polishing constitute the treatment for periodontitis, since removing the irritation caused by subgingival calculus interrupts and reverses the destructive process to a certain degree. Because periodontal disease is usually painless, the onset is insidious, and the debilitating effects are generally not recognised until it is too late.