Brushing and Flossing
Brushing
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small strip of fluoride toothpaste. When you brush your teeth, move the brush in a small circular motion to reach food particles that may be under the gum line. A mechanical or "spin brush" is 5x more effective at plaque removal than a hand-held brush.
Hold the toothbrush at an angle and brush slowly and carefully, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth. It will take you several minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth. Brush up on the lower teeth, down on the upper teeth, the outside, the inside, and chewing surfaces of all the front and back teeth. Brush your tongue and roof of your mouth before you rinse.
Brush your teeth three times a day to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque.
- In the morning after breakfast
- After lunch or after school
- At bedtime
Flossing
For areas between teeth that the toothbrush can’t reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque. Flossing should be done at least once a day.
Take a small length of floss and wrap the ends around your middle fingers. Guide the floss between each tooth down just under the gum line, while pulling both ends of the floss to one side making a “c” shape around the tooth, while moving the floss up and down. Then pull both ends of the floss to the opposite side of your mouth to floss the opposing tooth and repeat motion. Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go, so that you have used the floss from beginning to end when you finish. Floss behind all of your back teeth. When you first begin flossing, your gums may bleed a little. If bleeding does not subside after the first few times of flossing, contact your dental professional.
Other Dental Aids
Some people find the traditional method of flossing quite challenging, especially young children and aging adults. For all ages, there are a number of dental aids designed to help you remove plaque in between your teeth such as floss handles, floss pics, stimudents, proxy brushes and even wooden toothpics. Choose one that is comfortable to you—the most important tool is a daily habit of thorough plaque removal.