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We all know that we should be brushing our teeth twice a day, for two minutes. But what if toothpaste aggravates a sore mouth, bits of food get stuck in places that you can't reach with your toothbrush, or you can't actually get your toothbrush between your teeth?
Standard toothpastes contain a foaming agent, sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS), which is a well known irritant. Many people avoid SLS in products like shampoo and shower gel. I have been using SLS free shampoo and shower gel for a long time, because SLS dries my skin. I had not thought about the ingredients in my toothpaste until my consultant told me that it also contained SLS!
At the moment (it's nearly a year since my last surgery) I am using a standard soft toothbrush with a compact head, which works well for me.
After surgery, a normal toothbrush can be too big and robust. A baby toothbrush is smaller and softer. After my last operation I tried a (Ad)Tiny Truthbrush which was great because it has a really narrow head that could get into small spaces that even a regular baby toothbrush is too wide for. The only downside is that it isn't quite as soft.
The Moisturising Mouth Spray is handy for a moisture boost when I am away from home. I use the Moisturising Mouth Gel to sooth any sore areas and as a massage gel for the tight scar tissue in my mouth.
⚠️ A word of caution - this will not be suitable for everyone!
Sometimes, after surgery, I have ended up with nooks and crannies in my mouth that are too narrow for a toothbrush or a pink sponge to clean. I found that carefully squirting diluted mouthwash into them from one of these squeezy laboratory wash bottles (available online) would flush any debris out.
A small torch is an essential in my bathroom cabinet - it helps me to check that all of my mouth is properly clean, and also to monitor any changes that I might need to get checked by my consultant.
That's my roundup of my oral care routine. Thank you for reading, and I'll see you in my next post!
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