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 or extra soft bristle brush and toothpaste.
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Place the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and gently brush using a small, circular motion, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
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Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
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Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of the front teeth.
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Brush your tongue to remove bacteria and freshen your breath.
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.
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Take 18 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
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Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
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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. Then pull the floss out the side of the tooth, and repeat between the next two teeth.
Floss holders are recommended if you have difficulty using conventional floss.
Rinsing – It is important to rinse your mouth with water after brushing, and also after meals if you are unable to brush. Unless otherwise directed, Dr. Valdes and Dr. Doundoulakis recommends listerine as part of your daily homecare.
Use other dental aids as recommended by Dr. Carlos M. Valdes and Dr. James Doundoulakis : Interdental brushes, rubber tip stimulators, tongue cleaners, irrigation devices, fluoride, medicated rinses, etc., can all play a role in good dental home care.