Oral Hygiene Best Practices - Daily Care Tips

Your Daily Care Toolkit: Mastering Brushing, Flossing, and More

Many people go through the motions of brushing and flossing, but using the correct techniques makes all the difference. Think of this as your professional guide to the most effective daily care routine.

Brushing the Right Way: Technique Matters

It’s not just about brushing; it’s about brushing correctly.

• The Tools: Start with a soft-bristled toothbrush and a toothpaste containing fluoride. A soft brush is essential for cleaning effectively without being abrasive to your gums and enamel.

  
  

• The Technique:

  1. Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to your gums.

  2. Use gentle, short, circular strokes to brush along the outer and inner surfaces of your teeth. Avoid aggressive back-and-forth scrubbing, which can damage your gums.

  3. Use light back-and-forth strokes on the chewing surfaces.

  4. Don’t forget to gently brush your tongue to remove bacteria that cause bad breath.

     
     

• The Timing: Brush for two full minutes, twice a day, once in the morning and, most importantly, right before you go to bed.

Flossing: The Non-Negotiable Step

If you are not flossing, you are missing roughly 35% of your tooth surfaces. Brushing alone is not enough. Flossing is the only way to remove the plaque and food debris that gets trapped between your teeth and under your gum line.

• The Technique:

  1. Take a generous piece of floss, about 18 inches (45 cm) long, and wrap most of it around your middle fingers, leaving a small 1-2 inch section to work with.

  2. Gently guide the floss between two teeth using a careful sawing motion. Never snap it into your gums.

  3. When the floss reaches your gum line, curve it into a "C" shape against one tooth.

  4. Gently slide the floss into the space between your gum and tooth until you feel resistance. Rub the side of the tooth with up-and-down motions.

  5. Repeat this process on the adjacent tooth, and continue for all your teeth, using a clean section of floss for each space.

     
     

• The Frequency: Floss thoroughly at least once per day.

Beyond the Basics: Other Helpful Tools

• Antiseptic Mouthwash: While not a replacement for brushing and flossing, an ADA-accepted antiseptic mouthwash can help reduce bacteria, control plaque, and freshen your breath.

• Tongue Scrapers: For those concerned with bad breath, a tongue scraper can be more effective at removing bacteria from the tongue's surface than a toothbrush.