Home Care Instructions
Home Care
It all starts at home!
Adequate home care is a must if you want to maintain a healthy, beautiful smile and prevent costly dental treatment in the future. The goal of home care is to regularly remove the sticky film of bacteria called plaque from your teeth. Plaque is responsible for the formation of cavities (dental caries), gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis), loose teeth, bad breath (halitosis), and a host of other dental problems.
Brushing:
Brush your teeth twice daily using a soft tooth brush. Gently vibrate the brush back and forth with the brushes at a 45-degree angle to the gum line. Repeat this on each tooth surface until you have effectively cleaned the entire mouth. You should also brush your tongue to remove the bacteria that causes bad breath.
You can use any soft bristled, ADA approved tooth brush. We also recommend the use of modern electric tooth brushes such as Oral B, Sonicare, and Braun. If you have any questions on how to use your electric toothbrushes, please ask us or bring it with you during your appointments for a hands-on demonstration. We will be happy to help!
Replace your toothbrushes every three months or sooner if the brushes appear visibly worn. Worn brushes do not clean effectively and can cause abrasion (wear) of the gums.
Flossing:
Floss daily to remove plaque between teeth that you can’t reach with regular brushing. Take 12” to 18” of dental floss and wrap it around the middle finger of each hand. Pull the floss tightly, and then use your thumb and forefingers to slide the floss gently between each set of teeth. Curve the floss around each tooth and move the floss up and down along the tooth, going as low as you can comfortably get under the gum line. Use a fresh section of floss for each tooth until you have flossed the entire mouth.
If you have difficulty flossing your teeth, we recommend using pre-threaded flossers or floss holders. We will recommend a product best suited to your individual conditions and needs, so please ask us!
Rinsing:
Always rinse thoroughly with water after brushing (or after meals if you are unable to brush.) You may occasionally use mouthwash to rinse. However, recent studies indicate that the over-use of mouthwash in an otherwise healthy mouth can change the normal biological activity of the mouth, leading to dried tissues and other problems. There are many different products available over-the-counter. Please ask our Pasadena dentist and we will be happy to recommend a product best for your individual dental conditions!
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