Healthy Habits: Oral Hygiene Guidance
Our ultimate goal is to provide you with a beautiful, enduring smile that lasts a lifetime. Your commitment to personal Oral Hygiene Instructions is vital in reaching this goal. This includes maintaining a balanced diet, minimizing snacking, and effectively utilizing dental aids to control plaque and bacteria, thus preventing dental disease.
At-Home Dental Care
Oral Care: Brush teeth twice daily, especially before bedtime, with ADA-approved soft-bristle brush and toothpaste.
- Position the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and gently use small, circular motions, ensuring the bristles always touch the gums.
- Clean all sides of every tooth: outer, inner, and biting surfaces.
- Employ the brush's tip to clean inner front teeth.
- Cleanse your tongue to eliminate bacteria and refresh your breath.
Electric toothbrushes come highly recommended for their ease of use and efficient plaque removal. Simply position the brush's bristles on gums and teeth, allowing it to clean multiple teeth at once.
Flossing- daily is essential for thorough cleaning between teeth and under the gumline. Besides clearing these areas, flossing disrupts plaque buildup, safeguarding gums, teeth, and bone from damage.
- Cut 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wind it around your middle fingers, leaving approximately 2 inches (5cm) of floss between them.
- Using your thumbs and forefingers as guides, gently slide the floss between teeth with a sawing motion.
- Form the floss into a "C" shape around each tooth and below the gumline. Gently glide the floss up and down, cleansing the side of each tooth.
Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.
Rinsing – After brushing and meals when brushing isn't possible, it's vital to rinse your mouth with water. If you're using an over-the-counter rinsing product, consulting your pediatric dentist or dental hygienist about its suitability is advisable.
Follow additional dental recommendations from your dentist or dental hygienist: such as interdental brushes, rubber tip stimulators, tongue cleaners, irrigation devices, fluoride, medicated rinses, etc., all contribute to effective dental care at home.
