A Guide to the Three-Part Oral Hygiene Routine
Employing proper brushing, flossing, and rinsing practices is essential to protecting your teeth from tooth decay and gum disease. By practicing these techniques on a regular basis and visiting your dentist, you can effectively protect your oral health and avoid painful and expensive dental treatments down the road.
1. Brushing
Utilizing a correct brushing method will greatly reduce the chances for bacteria and germs to build inside your mouth and cause oral problems. Before you begin, make sure to select a brush that has soft, rounded-end nylon bristles to avoid irritating gums and damaging tooth enamel. When cleaning, hold the brush at a 45-degree angle. Make contact with both the tooth surface and gum line. Brush in a rolling motion across two or three teeth at a time. Continue this process on both the exterior and interior surfaces of the teeth. Then, clean the interior top and bottom teeth with vertical brushing strokes. Lastly, clean biting surfaces with a back-and-forth motion across the teeth. Take care to brush at least twice a day.
2. Flossing
Flossing is required once a day to remove food debris and plaque wedged between teeth and under the gum line—two areas that a toothbrush can’t reach. To start, take approximately 18 inches of floss and wind each end around your middle fingers. Holding the floss taut, move it up and down between each tooth, using a clean section of the floss each time you move to a new area. Also, gently bring the floss to the base of each tooth and go beneath the gumline. However, do not force the floss, as this can cause gum inflammation and damage.
3. Rinsing
Using a dentist-approved mouthwash can provide added benefits to your dental care routine. Rinses that contain fluoride can minimize the risks of tooth decay and periodontal disease. They also can reduce the amount of plaque and bacteria in your mouth. Swish your mouth with mouthwash several times a day for maximum results.
Village Green Dental Center offers patients a number of dental services, including orthodontics, endodontics, and sedation dentistry. If you live in the greater Aurora, Illinois area and are in need of a qualified dentist, call us at (630) 445-0121.
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