Plaque control and oral hygiene aids Flashcards
– primary agent in development of:
Dental Caries
Periodontal Disease
Plaque
_____ Control leads to:
Resolution of gingival inflammation in the early stages
Reduction of calculus formation
Plaque
Oral health can neither be attained or preserved without
______
plaque control
Need to be effective/personalized
Be non-traumatic when cleaning the teeth
Home care instructions
What are the 3 toothbrush features that are important?
Able to reach all areas needing to be clean
Size of head
No tissue trauma
\_\_\_\_ bristles: Made of wild boar or hog hair Bristles vary greatly in each filament Varies texture, size, flexibility Absorbs water, bristles soften Hollow bristles May harbor bacteria
Natural
____ bristles:
Flex 10x’s more before breaking Do not split or abrade Easier to clean and dry more rapidly Shape, stiffness of bristles more standardized Manufactured according to federal specifications
Nylon bristles
What is the average life of toothbrush?
3 months
Angle bristles toward gingival margin (approximately 45o angle) Gently press bristles to enter sulcus and/or embrasures Subgingival cleansing, gingival stimulation Vibrate brush (or use small strokes) without disengaging bristles ‘Roll’ the instrument toward the incisal/occlusal Replace and repeat on next 2 or 3 teeth Turn brush lengthwise Place ‘heel’ of brush along gingival margin Vibrate to dislodge plaque ‘Roll’ the toothbrush to cleanse the lingual surface
Modified bass
90 Degrees to tooth Larger circles over teeth and gingiva Easy for children to pick up Option for those with limited dexterity
Fone’s (circular)
_____ action of brush
Uses the motion of the bristles to
remove plaque and debris
Rotation oscillation
Mechanical action of brush
____ action of brush:
Emits sound waves in addition to
the movement of the brush
filaments
Sonic
_____ action of tooth brush:
Temporarily reverses the negative ionic
charge of a tooth to positive
Portion of toothbrush that is also positively
charge “attracts” the plaque and food
particles away from the tooth
Allows bristles the brush the loosened
particles away
Ionic
The purpose of _____ is to remove interproximal plaque….not to
dislodge food wedged between the teeth.
flossing
Tear off approximately __ inches
of dental floss
18 inches
The f loss is moved back and
forth until it is through the
contact
See-saw motion
T/F: Do NOT ‘pop’ the floss
True
Adapt to each interproximal surface by making C-shape.
Floss should be placed into sulcus area
Flossing
Once the floss is below the contact
area and wrapped around the tooth,
it should be moved _____
against the tooth
“up and down”
Recommended for patient’s with: Physical disabilities Poor manual dexterity Limited mouth opening Large hands Sensitive gag reflex Difficulty with manual flossing
Floss holders
Plastic toothpick on one end, floss
on the other
Disadvantage: floss cannot be
changed as it gets used
Daily flossers/Floss swords
May help with patient motivation
Helpful for patients who need handle with
larger diameter
Automated flossers
Floss is threaded through loop Used to carry floss interproximally Ideal for: abutment teeth beneath pontics ortho appliances teeth that are splinted together tight contact
Floss threader
Ideal for plaque removal under
pontics and ortho appliances
Super floss
Created to floss around orthodontic
brackets
Available online through Paradise Dental
Technologies (PDT)
½ inch floss spread between two “spatula”
ends with a bracket brush on the opposite
end
Platypus Ortho Flosser
Used for: large embrasures teeth with concavities around fixed appliances ortho appliances Furcations ( Class III, IV
Interdental Brushes
Proxybrush
Soft, flexible bristles
Tapered to work around appliances
Easy to use for patients who find flossing cumbersome
Latex free
Soft picks
Primary use is for gingival massage Limited use for removing plaque from exposed furcation(s), along gingival margins, and open embrasures
Rubber-tipped stimulator
Useful for difficult to reach places: around ortho appliances around pontic(s) lingual of crowded lower anterior teeth distal of most posterior teeth wide embrasure spaces exposed furcation(s)
End tuft toothbrushes
More narrowed brush head
Fits along the gumline
Softer bristles for inflamed gums
Sulcus brush
Trace along gingival margins to remove plaque in sulcus/pockets May be used along: crown margins accessible furcations concave proximal surfaces orthodontic appliances
Toothpick Holders
Perio-aid; D-PLAK-R
Balsa or birchwood most common Triangular in cross-section Stick is inserted from the facial, with flat surface resting on gingiva Moved from buccal to lingual
Wooden or Plastic Triangular Sticks
Stim-U-Dent
Can result in disruption of loosely attached or unattached supra/subgingival plaque Irrigation not indicated for pts who have effective OH or no inflammation It alone is ineffective in reducing inflammation
Oral irrigators
Irrigation with _____ is better than irrigation with just water
CHX
Can oral irrigation be used to effectively remove plaque without mechanical removal?
No
