Over the counter dental products: Should You Go For It?

When it comes to over-the-counter dental products, you have too many options to choose from. Rampant advertising makes every other product unique and exciting, but then it is too easy to fall into this trap. Let us start by talking about the essentials: the toothbrush and the floss.

Regular brushing and flossing are the key ingredients for healthier teeth and better oral hygiene.

Products to use:

So what are the other over the counter options that we might need to use for maintaining our oral health, you ask? Let us tell you.

• Power toothbrush: This enables easier removal of the plaques.
• Water floss: If flossing gets tough, water floss can become an effective substitute.
• Whitening strips : The peroxides in the strips help whiten the teeth. They are directly attached to the front of the teeth
• Whitening trays: They are also used for whitening teeth.
• Rinses: Oral rinses might come in handy for maintaining oral hygiene
• Gels: There are several gels available over the counter to fight discoloration.

Electrical toothbrushes:

One interesting product is the electronic toothbrush. It is a great alternative for anyone who is having issues with using a normal toothbrush. Also, a lot of people end up hurting their gums by brushing too vigorously. The electronic toothbrush automatically drives water and toothpaste in between tooth and gums. This is helpful since a normal toothbrush cannot reach every nook and corner of the teeth. Some of these brushes also come with timers to regulate the amount of time you have brushed. Any attempts at vigorous brushing will automatically switch it off. They may be expensive, but they offer more long-lasting solutions than normal toothbrushes. Ultrasonic technology can also be used to clean the teeth.

Flossing:

If you are uncomfortable with floss, you can switch over to interdental brushes. They are very useful if your roots have been left exposed. They are well-suited to fit a purse or a pocket.  Water floss can also come in handy because interdental brushes are not exact substitutes for floss. They work by pressurising water into the crevices.

Now there are also products to counter bad breath. This can be done by using a tongue cleaner. Odour inducing bacteria usually affects the tongue and hence produces bad taste/breath. A tongue cleaner would remove a good amount of the bacteria. One of the symptoms of bacteria assimilation on your tongue is the presence of a white or greenish patch.

The choice of toothpaste needs to be made after understanding the sensitivity of our teeth. Fluoride concentration in the toothpaste is of utmost importance to counter sensitivity. Bleaching options like strips and trays can also be found over the counter. Hence right from whitening to preventing tooth decay, a range of over the counter dental products exist.

But are they enough? It depends on the type of complications you might be going through. They are rather the tools of prevention rather than that of cure. Along with these products, one needs to ensure proper dental check-ups regularly. Proper consultation with a dentist would allow one to choose the products that suit the best. Healthy teeth is an asset- and dental products help us maintain the same without any compromises. Protect your teeth with fervor or else you might end up regretting it.