Tooth brushing – Brush your teeth at least twice to three times a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and a small amount of toothpaste.

1. Place the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gums and gently brush using 6 small circular motions, and then rolling up 3 times. Start on the upper right and do one tooth at a time and progress to the upper left. Then go to the tongue side of the upper left and return to the upper right side. Then go to the cheek side of the lower right and proceed to the lower left. Then move to the tongue side of the lower left and proceed to the lower right.
2. Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
3. Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of the front teeth. Place the brush lengthwise in the mouth.
4. Brush your tongue and roof of your mouth 6 times to remove Bacteria Plaque and to freshen your breath and improve taste.

The end tuft of the brush will be used on the back half of the last teeth and then in between all your teeth. Again, rotate in 6 circular motions and roll down or up 3 times.

Electric toothbrushes are also recommended. They are easy to use and can remove Bacterial Plaque efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your gums and teeth and allow the brush to do its job, one tooth at a time. By doing so you will overlap the previous tooth. Do not put excessive pressure on your brush as this will cause the bristles to flatten and will not clean properly.

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts bacterial plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone. A tooth has 5 surfaces and the tooth brush only gets to 3 of them. The dental floss will get to the other surfaces in between the teeth.

1. Take 60- 76 cm of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 5cm of floss between your thumb and index finger.
2. Using your thumbs and index finger to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between the teeth. Do not snap it in between the teeth in fear of traumatizing the gums.
3. Wrap the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline. Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth. Only apply pressure to the floss as it moves toward the chewing surface. We want it to be “squeaky clean.” Whenever you go between two teeth you have two surfaces to clean.

Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and after meals if you are unable to brush. If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.

Use other dental aids as recommended by your dentist or dental hygienist: Interdental brushes, rubber tip stimulators, tongue cleaners, irrigation devices, fluoride, medicated rinses, etc., can all play a role in good dental home care.