Here, the doctor examined and found that the cause of the abscess was that there was a lot of food in the tooth gap, causing inflammation. The patient's medical history showed that Mr. Nam had a habit of picking his teeth after eating.

Continuously flossing for a long time causes the gaps to widen. Food sticks and gets stuck inside, causing inflammation over time as it is now.

Improper dental hygiene causes many dangerous diseases. Photo: Womenshealthmag.

Harmful effects of toothpicks

Dr. Pham Nhu Hai, Head of the Department of Dentistry, Vietnam - Cuba Hospital (Hanoi), said he has met many similar patients due to the habit of picking teeth. Dental experts recommend not using toothpicks to remove food stuck in teeth.

This habit causes bone loss between teeth, widening the gap between teeth, making it easier for food to get stuck and requiring continued use of toothpicks. Over time, this action causes teeth to become sparse, even loose, and weak.

Gaps between teeth also create conditions for bacteria to grow more and increase the risk of diseases such as cavities, periodontitis, gingivitis, and bad breath.

Doctor Do Manh Cuong, Department of Dentistry - Maxillofacial Surgery at Dr. Binh Teleclinic, recommends that people should not take oral diseases lightly because the health of the chewing system is closely related to the whole body. When suffering from oral diseases, we have to face many cardiovascular diseases, blood pressure, and a higher risk of cancer than normal.

Brush your teeth after every meal

Many people do not floss their teeth, instead, they brush their teeth right after eating because they think this is the most correct and clean way to clean.

However, according to Dr. Pham Nhu Hai, this is a mistake. Immediately after eating, acid will penetrate the enamel. Brushing your teeth at the wrong time (especially within 20 minutes after a meal) will push the acid deeper into the teeth, eroding the enamel and dentin faster than the natural process. If we want to brush our teeth, we should only do it 15-20 minutes after eating.

Dr. Hai also noted that you should only brush your teeth 2-3 times a day. The doctor has received many patients who came to him with scratched, worn, and sensitive teeth caused by brushing their teeth too many times a day.

"Every time you snack, you should rinse your mouth thoroughly. If you feel uncomfortable and want to use a toothpick, you can replace it with dental floss to remove food stuck in your teeth. Do not use toothpicks or brush your teeth many times a day," Dr. Hai advised.

When brushing teeth, experts note that something that few people pay attention to is toothbrush hygiene. Bacteria can grow in dirty toothbrushes and enter the body when used. Therefore, we should wash our toothbrushes before and after brushing our teeth.

Before using toothpaste, rinse the toothbrush under running water for at least 1-2 minutes. Replace the toothbrush when the bristles fade or after 3 months of use.

According to Zing.vn