Understanding oral health: This is a state of wellbeing of teeth, gums and other structures within our oral cavity or mouth that help in proper eating, speaking and aesthetics. While dental health just denotes healthy teeth and gums, overall state of oral health encompasses maintenance of oral cavity, its structures, their functions and also facial features and aesthetics. So good oral health is when all the components of the oral cavity like teeth, gums, periodontium (tissues that support and surround the teeth) are functioning properly and in harmony with each other, supporting not just eating but also helping in digestion and maintaining proper alignment of facial features.
Proper brushing: Brush for two minutes with adequate (not excessive) pressure; just enough to remove the plaque build-up. Rigorous brushing harms teeth in the long run. Hold the brush at a 45 degree angle, move it in small circular motions and cover all surfaces. Wait for 30-40 minutes after brushing before eating or drinking anything. Some people tend to brush after every meal but do that only if you have had garlic/ onion or anything that gives you bad breath. Else brushing twice a day is fine.
Manual or electronic brushes?
Both are fine as long as brushing technique and pressure are proper.
What about mouthwash? It is not a necessity. It does complement your brushing, but, if your oral hygiene is good, skip it unless advised by your dentist.
The neglect of flossing: Dental health overall is neglected in India. It is not just about flossing. People find it a waste of time that there should be an added step to their oral hygiene routine. But it is highly recommended as a brush cannot reach between teeth and cleaning that area is important too. Flossing is technique dependent, so one needs to learn to do it correctly.
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Denne historien er fra September 08, 2024-utgaven av THE WEEK India.
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By- and large
The stakes are high in the assembly bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, which will see a direct face-off between the Samajwadi Party and the BJP
The price of surprise
Rajdeep Sardesai’s new book is a gripping election post-mortem that offers candid glimpses of Indian politics
Mother India, RELOADED
Like her grandmother Indira did in the 1960s, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is channelling her motherly instincts to win her electoral debut, in Wayanad
Olympics, 2036: Host and ghosts
The Indian Olympics Association (IOA) has sent the International Olympics Committee (IOC) its ‘letter of intent’ to host the Olympics in 2036—appositely enough the centenary of the very year, 1936, when Adolf Hitler hosted the Games in Berlin!
Bully in White House isn't bad news
Most of us claim to be nice people. We work hard, we give to charity, we love our families, we don’t cheat, we pay our taxes, we are kind, we respect teachers, we don’t jump red lights, we respect other faiths, we read to children, we believe in democracy, we cheer free speech, and we hate Donald Trump. We think all nice people do all these things.
William Dalrymple goes further back
Indian readers have long known William Dalrymple as the chronicler nonpareil of India in the early years of the British raj. His latest book, The Golden Road, is a striking departure, since it takes him to a period from about the third century BC to the 12th-13th centuries CE.
The bleat from the street
What with all the apps delivering straight to one’s doorstep, the supermarkets, the food halls and even the occasional (super-expensive) pop-up thela (cart) offering the woke from field-to-fork option, the good old veggie-market/mandi has fallen off my regular beat.
Courage and conviction
Justice A.M. Ahmadi's biography by his granddaughter brings out behind-the-scenes tension in the Supreme Court as it dealt with the Babri Masjid demolition case
EPIC ENTERPRISE
Gowri Ramnarayan's translation of Ponniyin Selvan brings a fresh perspective to her grandfather's magnum opus
Upgrade your jeans
If you don’t live in the top four-five northern states of India, winter means little else than a pair of jeans. I live in Mumbai, where only mad people wear jeans throughout the year. High temperatures and extreme levels of humidity ensure we go to work in mulmul salwars, cotton pants, or, if you are lucky like me, wear shorts every day.
