A beautiful, healthy smile that lasts a lifetime is our ultimate goal when treating patients.  Your personal home care plays an important role in achieving that goal.  Your personal home care starts by eating balanced meals, reducing the number of snacks you eat, and correctly using the various dental aids that help control the plaque and bacteria that cause dental disease.

Tooth Brushing – Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with an ADA approved soft bristle brush and toothpaste.

1. Place the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle where the gums and teeth meet.
2. Use small circular motions to gently brush the gumline and teeth. 
3. Do not scrub or apply too much pressure to the teeth, as this can damage the gums and tooth enamel.
4. Brush every surface of every tooth, cheek-side, tongue-side, and chewing surfaces. Place special emphasis on the surfaces of the back teeth.
5. Use back and forth strokes to brush the chewing surfaces.
6. Brush the tongue to remove fungi, food, and debris. 

Flossing – Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline.  Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.

1. Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
   
2. Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
   
3. Curve the floss into a “C” shape around each tooth and under the gumline.  Gently move the floss up and down, cleaning the side of each tooth.
4. Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.

Waterpik - A Waterpik is a water flosser. It can remove food particles and plaque from areas that traditional brushing and flossing can miss, particularly between teeth and along the gumline.  It is especially beneficial for individuals with gum disease or those prone to gingivitis.

Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing and after meals if you are unable to brush.  If you are using an over-the-counter product for rinsing, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist or dental hygienist on its appropriateness for you.

Use other dental aids as recommended by your dentist or dental hygienist:  interdental brushes, rubber tip stimulators, tongue cleaners, irrigation devices, fluoride, medicated rinses, etc., can all play a role in good dental home care.