Tips for Home Care

A radiant, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime is our ultimate goal and is very dependent on your commitment to caring for your teeth at home. A dental cleaning is an opportunity to be educated on home care. Here are the basic pointers to keep you healthy that you should establish today:

Tooth Brushing
Brush teeth at least twice a day and after meals, especially before going to bed at night and once in the morning after breakfast. Use an ADA approved soft bristle tooth brush or an electric toothbrush that the dentist recommends. The Kelly's prefer the Sonicare or Ultreo ultrasonic brushes and dislike hard bristle electric spinning brushes. If you use an ultrasonic brush refer to the manufacturer’s web site or our staff for proper use instructions as they vary from traditional brushing. Use fluoride toothpaste. Place the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and gently brush in a small circular motion. Brush all surfaces of each tooth. Use the tip of the brush on the insides of front teeth and the backside of the last molars. Brush the tongue as far back as possible to remove bacteria and freshen breath.

Flossing
Daily flossing is the best way to clean between teeth and under the gum line. Brushing alone only cleans plaque and debris from two-thirds of the tooth surface! Flossing not only helps to clean spaces between teeth, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up preventing damage to the gums, teeth and bone. Use approximately eighteen inches of floss wrapped around the middle fingers. Holding the floss with the thumb and forefingers gently insert the floss between the teeth using a sawing motion. Curve the floss into a "C" shape around each tooth and cleanse under the gun line. Gently move the floss up and down and slightly in and out. Remember that you are cleansing the surfaces of each tooth and not just "popping" the floss between each contact. Use the full length of the floss to avoid transplanting plaque from one tooth to the next (for this reason we do not suggest bow shaped floss holder with small pieces of floss on them). If you are new to flossing regularly you can expect some bleeding and even mild soreness. This is a sign that you have gingivitis. As you continue to floss daily, you will find that this improves and that your teeth will eventually feel "dirty" if you miss a day.

There are many oral hygiene products on the market beyond brushing and flossing. While many of the product and methods have their place and are recommended for certain patient needs, many are simply gimmicks. Brushing and flossing are essential and there is no substitute for them! Water picks, toothpicks, gum stimulators, and rinse all come second to brushing and flossing. For patients who experience bad breath with a heavily coated tongue, a tongue scraper in conjunction with a mild mouth rinse may be indicated and beneficial.