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| -THE RIGHT WAY TO BRUSH. After applying paste to the bristles, start with the brush at a 45 degree angle to the teeth at the gum line. You can use a circular brushing motion[small circles], or a straight downward or upward one. But to focus on the gum line, a back-and-forth scrub may be needed.[These must be very short back-and-forth movements]. Brush all chewing surfaces thoroughly: hold the brush vertically to reach the inside surfaces of the front teeth. Be sure the head of the brush is not too large to reach into the back of the mouth. -THE RIGHT WAY TO FLOSS. Think of floss as an extention of the brush, a means of cleaning surfaces that the brush can't reach. Take a length of floss and wind the ends around your index fingers, so you can hold it taut, unwinding and winding as you go, in order to have a clean section of floss for each tooth. Slip the thread gently between the teeth and up under the gum line. Remember you're after the plaque on the side of the tooth. When you reach the gum line, curve the floss into a C shape and slide it carefully between tooth and gum until you feel a resistance. Pull the floss down the side of one tooth, pull it out, then reinsert it for the side of the adjacent tooth. Avoid sawing back and forth. Go between all the teeth, and don't forget the backs of your molars. Though few people like to do it, flossing should be easy and painless. It does require practice if you aren't used to it. If your gums bleed at first, keep on flossing--the bleeding should subside as your gums get used to flossing. If you have sharp edges on some teeth, or other problems that make it difficult to floss, ask your dentist to smoothe over the sharp spots and check to see if any fillings are cracked. -HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH? Brush twice daily, and floss at least once. You can floss first and brush second, or the reverse, as you prefer. Spend five minutes or so per session on dental hygiene, depending on how fast you work. Rinsing well is important--plain water is fine. Mouthwash is unnecessary, unless for some reason you use a nonfluoridated toothpaste and thus need a fluoridated mouthwash.[I recommend Phosfluor Mouthwash often for patients with root cavities or abrasion or erosion of root surfaces]. -LAST BUT NOT LEAST. First, limit the amount of sweets and sticky carbohydrates you consume, or at least make sure you brush as soon as possible after eating them. This is particularly important for older people, since the roots of their teeth may be exposed. Second, see your dentist/hygienist twice a year for evaluation, cleaning, and polishing--or more often if you have a problem that needs more frequent attention. |
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