People who have a habit of taking selfies have been labeled as narcissists, while other lovers of self-portraits have been involved in car crashes and pedestrian accidents thanks to a high level of distraction. If you’re in the safety of your own bathroom, however, selfie fever could be a good thing. According to a new study, there may be an upside to taking a video of yourself while brushing your teeth: You could improve your oral health.
Mastering the Right Tooth Brushing Technique
People who use stands to hold their smartphones and film themselves brushing their teeth showed an improvement in their brushing skills, according to a study completed with the assistance of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and published in the Indian Journal of Dental Research. Specifically, over a period of time, selfie-takers developed brush strokes that were more accurate and higher in number.
In general, tooth brushing habits are tied to muscle memory. You brush a certain way every time you brush, probably missing the same spots and working too diligently on others. It takes a great deal of time to change a routine, especially one as rote as brushing your teeth. Knowing they were being recorded, however, seemed to encourage the study participants to alter their habits and made them more conscious of their technique.
Of course, an integral part of the study was teaching people how to brush properly so they were able to master the right technique while taking their selfie videos, like using a gentle circular motion and brushing at a 45-degree angle. The study suggests to researchers that recording these efforts can further the efforts of mobile health technology, where dental professionals will be able to give patients feedback about their brushing methods based on video selfies.
The Critical Need for Good Oral Health
While you want your teeth to look good, free from stains or any other imperfections, there are major benefits to maintaining a healthy smile. Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day helps clean your teeth of bacteria and food buildup. So not only is the surface of your teeth clean, all the nooks and crannies are swept free of undesirables as well, leaving you with a healthier mouth. And keeping up with regular preventive care appointments with your dentist every six months gets you a professional removal of plaque and tarter.
Proper brushing doesn’t take much energy, time, or effort, and it can prevent you from developing gingivitis, which could eventually turn into full-blow periodontal disease. With this problem comes not only the need for repair – scaling and root planing to remedy the periodontitis – but also restorative dentistry such as dental implants. In many cases, people with very severe gum disease loose teeth and must have them replaced if they want to have a strong foundation in their mouth, the ability to eat comfortably and speak easily, and an attractive smile that they are not embarrassed to show.
Good brushing technique also prevents cavities from developing, but if you do find yourself in need of a cavity repair, tooth-colored fillings are the way to go. Not only do they blend with the natural color of your teeth, making themselves virtually unknown, composite fillings are also made with safer materials. These mercury-free fillings protect you from the toxicity that makes up amalgam fillings.
Ready to improve your oral health and, as a result, your overall well-being? Make an appointment with Manhattan dentist Dr. Michael J. Wei to learn more about the smile makeover options that are right for you.
