When you first attend college, the appeal of dorm life is obvious. Living away from home and parents offers loads of freedom! Still, your new space comes with responsibilities – especially oral self-care. A proper dorm needs the right tools to keep your smile healthy. Plus, you’ll have to get these items yourself; they aren’t just given to you. Luckily, your West Mobile dentist can offer some helpful guidance. Here are four good products you should include in your dorm dental kit.
A Toothbrush-Toothpaste Set
As you might expect, no dental kit is complete without a toothbrush-toothpaste set. These two things are crucial to your everyday oral health.
Remember, experts suggest you brush your teeth twice daily. (This practice removes harmful germs from your mouth and strengthens your enamel.) That being the case, you’ll need a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoridated toothpaste. These tools allow for proper daily brushing.
Of course, your toothbrush-toothpaste set can include extra features. You might want to get an electric brush that’s easy to handle. Similarly, you could choose special toothpaste that combats tooth sensitivity, gingivitis, and similar issues.
Dental Floss
Even if your parents aren’t here to say so, you should floss between your teeth. So, make sure your kit also includes dental floss.
Contrary to what you’d think, flossing is critical to dental care. It cleans roughly 35% of the enamel that your toothbrush can’t reach. Furthermore, only dentist-approved floss can do the task well. Anything else might threaten your mouth.
All that said, there are a wide range of choices available. Traditional floss comes in various flavors, as well as waxed and unwaxed versions. Dental picks and oral irrigators are good options as well.
A Dental Mirror
A bathroom mirror often isn’t enough for good oral care. Therefore, pack a dental mirror into your dorm dental kit.
Per its name, a dental mirror is customized for your mouth. It allows you to view tooth surfaces that can’t be seen by direct vision. As such, the item gives you a better sense of how your smile is doing. A bathroom mirror alone wouldn’t have that effect.
If possible, try to get a dental mirror with an attached light. This kind would show even more of your oral cavity. Otherwise, you can include a separate flashlight in your kit as well.
A Tongue Scraper
Lastly, consider adding a tongue scraper to your kit. This item is quite helpful in keeping your mouth clean.
You see, most harmful oral bacteria live on your tongue. The latter is an ideal breeding ground for germs, so it often causes bad breath. As a result, a tongue scraper eliminates bad microbes from your tongue’s surface.
Tongue scrapers are surprisingly easy to find. You could easily purchase one from your local pharmacy or supermarket.
With the items above, your dorm dental kit will start right. If you want further suggestions, though, talk to your local dental provider!
About the Author
Dr. Hube Parker is a dentist operating in Alabama and Mississippi, having earned his dental doctorate from the University of Mississippi’s School of Dentistry. He is also a part-time instructor at the UMC School of Dentistry’s Department of Endodontics. Given this background, his specialties are preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry, as well as emergency dental work. Today, Dr. Parker practices at Parker Dental & Orthodontics and is reachable on his website and by phone at (251)-634-2341.