At Home Care
Brushing
- Step 1: Place bristles along the gum line at a 45-degree angle. Gently brush using a circular motion along the outer and inner tooth surfaces.
- Step 2: Brush each tooth individually. Tilt the brush vertically behind the front teeth. Using the front half of the brush, use the same circular motion.
- Step 3: Place the brush against the biting surface of the teeth using a gentle back-and-forth motion. Brush the tongue to remove odor-producing bacteria.
How Do I Use Dental Floss?
Break off about 18 inches of floss and wind some of it around your middle finger (3 turns); this finger will take up the floss as it becomes dirty. Shorten the length between the two fingers to 6 inches and wind some floss (1 turn) around the opposite middle finger. Hold the floss tightly between your thumbs and index fingers. Guide the floss between your teeth using a gentle rubbing motion. When the floss reaches the gum line, curve it into a C-shape against one tooth. Gently slide it into the space between the gum and the tooth. Hold the floss tightly against the tooth as you gently rub the side of the tooth with an up-and-down motion. Before retrieving it, reverse the C-shape to clean the adjacent tooth surface as well.
As you finish cleaning each tooth, wind the dirty floss once around the first middle finger and slide more new length of floss to proceed to the next teeth.
Fluoride
Fluoride is an important part of healthy tooth development and will help prevent cavities. Fluoride can provide protection from tooth decay in a couple of ways:
- It helps to strengthen the tooth’s enamel so it can repel the acid that is formed by plaque.
- Teeth that have been damaged by plaque can repair and re-mineralize themselves with the help of fluoride.
Fluoride is incapable of repairing already-formed cavities, but it does assist in reversing low levels of tooth decay and helps in preventing new cavities from forming.
Plaque
Plaque is essentially the start of gum disease problems. Plaque is a build-up of particles from the foods you eat every day. Once sugars are introduced to plaque, they turn into a tooth-eating acid that sits just above the gum line. If regular oral care isn’t standard, the acid will start eating at the teeth and gums. Plaque that is allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time can cause cavities, gingivitis, and other problems in your mouth. If it’s left longer than that, serious dental procedures may be required to restore your decaying smile.