Jul 13, 20214 min read

Modernised home dental care

What is a biofilm?

A biofilm is a layer of microorganisms. The cells of the micro-organisms stick on the inner surfaces of drinking water treatment systems and storage containers.

What is BIOFILM on teeth?

There is a biofilm that is found on the lining of your mouth and the surface of your teeth.

This biofilm is know as an oral biofilm. It is comprised of millions of of bacteria and exists as a community of many different types of bacteria, each type of bacteria supporting another type.

This oral biofilm has been known as dental plaque and is grows every day, whether we are awake or asleep.

Sometimes it is not visible to our naked eye; sometimes it has developed to degree that you can easily see it .

Why is the biofilm so significant to your teeth?

Demineralization, Caries and gum disease

Some of the bacteria feed off the sugar in the food that we eat, resulting in acids, the dissolution of your teeth and decay of your teeth. Other bacteria enjoy a dark anaerobic sulphuric environment resulting in gum disease and periodontitis.

Biofilm routinely leads over time to demineralization of the teeth, caries, bad mouth orders and gum disease which leads to mass loss of bone around teeth and loss of teeth. As well as a oral health becoming at risk.

How do we know the teeth are clean?

There are a few methods that people use to evaluate how they have removed the oral biofilm.

Inspecting the teeth with no magnification

You should at least take 2 minutes to brush your teeth. While it is great to feel with your teeth with our tongue, and you can see in the bathroom mirror that you have cleaned your teeth, is this enough?

While this may seem enough to you, one should use the amazing modern options that are available. Disclosing dyes in a tablet or gel form, allows one to easy chase up on where the biofilm is residing. We do recommend visualising the biofilm with disclosing dyes and evaluating the teeth in good light and with a magnified mirror. If you do wear glasses for reading or seeing close objects, you should have them on to make sure nothing has been missed.

What tools do we have at home?

Why we use 5460 bristles in a toothbrush

One toothbrush that is always recommended is the Curaprox CS5460 ultrasoft toothbrush. Everyone in the family can benefit from the dense but gentle bristles that clean more of the surface of the tooth without hurting the gums. Children and adults alike love these toothbrushes. Take a look at this link regarding these toothbrushes (https://curaprox.com.au/shop/toothbrushes/manual-toothbrushes/cs-5460).

the effectiveness of interdental brushes

Interdental brushes are one of the latest modern technology. The correct sized interdental brushes can help you clean the space between the teeth to insure that the biofilm is dislodged, as well as any food that can be trapped. Please note not everyone is able to use these due to the space that is in-between the teeth. Always ask the dentist to advise you which size and how to use these miniature bottlebrushes.

The newest and now some what better technology to clean between the teeth of all ages, as well as a lot of fun for children, is a waterflosser. Everyone in the family can uses this new machine to make sure that the hard to reach gaps are cleaned.

Home treatment with the regular treatment at the dentist will help you keep those teeth that work so hard for you. You have now spent all this time looking after your teeth.

The least damaging way of professionally cleaning your teeth should be high on a dentist's priority method of helping you to look after your teeth. It turns out that least damaging way is also the most effective, most likely the most comfortable, and most likely the fastest method.