BRUSHING
Use a toothbrush with soft bristles and a small amount of fluoride toothpaste. Hold the toothbrush at an angle aimed toward the gum. When you brush your teeth, move the brush in small circular motions. Brush slowly and carefully. Systematically move around the mouth, covering all areas between teeth and the surface of each tooth. Brushing your tongue and the roof of your mouth before you rinse will also decrease the amount of bacteria in your mouth and reduce the chance of halitosis or bad breath.
As soon as the bristles start to wear down or fray, replace your toothbrush with a new one. Do not swallow any toothpaste; rinse your mouth thoroughly with water after you finish brushing. It is important to carefully floss and brush daily for optimal oral hygiene.
Brush your teeth at these four times every day to avoid the accumulation of food particles and plaque:
- In the morning after breakfast
- After lunch or right after school
- After dinner
- At bedtime
FLOSSING
For areas between the teeth that a toothbrush can’t reach, dental floss is used to remove food particles and plaque. It is very important to floss between your teeth every day.
Pull a small length of floss from the dispenser. Wrap the ends of the floss tightly around your middle fingers. Guide the floss between teeth to the gum line, create a C shape around one tooth and move up and down, then create a C shape around the other tooth and move up and down. This will remove any food particles or plaque. Unwrap clean floss from around your fingers as you go. Floss behind all of your back teeth. Do not move the floss side to side in a saw motion as this may damage gum tissue.
Contact Beacon Dental today at 734-424-9671 to schedule a consultation, or browse our website to learn more about cosmetic dentistry, general dentistry, or fluoride.
