Tips On Oral Hygiene: The Proper Way to Brush & Floss
Keeping your gums healthy is vital to ensuring that your mouth stays clean and your teeth stay intact and in pristine condition. Incorporating a few simple steps into your daily oral hygiene routine will keep your teeth and gums healthy, happy and your smile shining bright for years to come.
Flossing: How to Floss Like A Boss
So, should you floss your teeth before you brush?
Here is a diagram of how to properly floss according to the ADA. If you want to floss like a boss, follow these simple steps:
Another way to floss is by using a waterpik. A waterpik helps remove any debris that gets left behind from brushing. It’s an extra way to ensure your teeth and gums are clean. According to waterpik.com, here is how to properly use a waterpik:
- Fill the reservoir with warm water and place firmly on the base.
- Select a tip and click into the handle.
- Start with the lowest pressure setting, lean over the sink, place the tip in your mouth.
- Turn the unit on. Close lips enough to prevent splashing, let water flow from your mouth into the sink.
- Aim the tip at the gumline.
- When finished, turn the unit off and use the tip eject button to remove the tip.
Click here to check out a video about waterpik!
However, does a waterpik replace using floss? No, as the saying goes, don’t toss the floss!
Brushing: Keep em’ Clean!
Brushing your teeth is an important part of your dental care routine. For a healthy mouth and smile the ADA recommends you:
- Brush your teeth twice a day with a soft-bristled brush. The size and shape of your brush should fit your mouth allowing you to reach all areas easily.
- Replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed. A worn toothbrush won’t do a good job of cleaning your teeth.
- Make sure to use ADA-accepted fluoride toothpaste.
The proper brushing technique is to:
- Place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle to the gums.
- Gently move the brush back and forth in short (tooth-wide) strokes.
- Brush the outer surfaces, the inner surfaces, and the chewing surfaces of the teeth.
- To clean the inside surfaces of the front teeth, tilt the brush vertically and make several up-and-down strokes.
Click here to check out a video:
For more Tips On Oral Hygiene: The Proper Way to Brush & Floss, schedule an appointment. We can help answer all your questions and help you ensure you have a cavity-free smile.
