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Oral Hygiene at Home
The best thing you could ever do is learn how to take care of yourself and stay healthy. By taking care of your teeth, you’ll live healthier and smile more. A beautiful smile is priceless!
The purpose of brushing, flossing, and fluoride is to remove bacteria and plaque from your teeth. Floss before you brush, then rinse with fluoride.
Flossing
That’s right! Floss before you brush, everyday.
Flossing cleans the area in between teeth that a toothbrush cannot reach. This is the area where dental decay develops unseen by the naked eye. By cleaning between your teeth first, your fluoride toothpaste and fluoride mouthwash will be able to reach that area where you need it most.
Use waxed floss for easier insertion in between teeth. You can buy floss by the yard or by the floss holder. I recommend using a floss holder. Its easier to use.
Slide floss in between teeth with a firm pushing and sawing motion past the contact area between teeth. Then scrap one side of the tooth with an up and down motion, then the other side of the other tooth. Use an up and down motion to clean the area between teeth. Repeat for all areas between teeth.
Brushing
Brushing needs to be done twice a day. Use a small head toothbrush with soft bristles. Gently use a circular and fanning motion to clean 1 or 2 teeth at a time. When using the circular motion, angle the tip of the bristles at a 45 degree angle towards your gums. Plaque and bacteria like to accumulate along the gumline. Pay special attention to this area.
Do not use a stiff bristle. Do not use a large head toothbrush. Do not use a lot of force when brushing your teeth. These things destroy the delicate gums. If you destroy the gums, you will indirectly destroy the bone beneath.
If you feel brushing your teeth is just to much work, I strongly recommend you get an electric toothbrush. With an electric toothbrush, all you have to do is angle the bristles and allow the brush to do all the work. Habits are hard to break, but your brushing instruments are not. Find the best electric toothbrush that keeps your teeth clean.
Mouthwash
I recommend mouthwash with fluoride and No alcohol. Do NOT swallow mouthwash. Simply swish the liquid around your mouth for the recommended time, usually 1 minute, and spit it out.
If you have sensitive or a dry mouth, use a mouthwash without alcohol and that helps to moisturize your mouth. There are several brands like Biotene and Oasis.
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