Home Dental Care
At Clayburn Dental in Abbotsford, we always make sure to educate our patients about proper home care dental techniques that will help keep their smiles healthy and strong.
What are the components of a good at-home oral hygiene routine?
Your personal home care habits play an important role in achieving a healthy smile.
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.
Brushing
Brush your teeth at least twice a day (especially before going to bed at night) with your preferred toothpaste and soft bristle brush.
Brushing Technique Tips
- Place the brush at a 45 degree angle to the gums and gently brush using small, circular motions, ensuring that you always feel the bristles on the gums.
- Brush the outer, inner, and biting surfaces of each tooth.
- Use the tip of the brush to clean the inside of your front teeth.
- Don't forget to brush your tongue to remove bacteria and to freshen your breath.
Our dental team often recommends electric toothbrushes for better brushing, as they remove plaque very efficiently. Simply place the bristles of the electric brush on your teeth and allow the brush to do its job.
Flossing
Daily flossing is the best way to clean between the teeth and under the gumline. Flossing not only helps clean these spaces, it also disrupts plaque colonies from building up, preventing damage to the gums, teeth, and bone.
Flossing Technique Tips
- Take 12-16 inches (30-40cm) of dental floss and wrap it around your middle fingers, leaving about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between your hands.
- Using your thumbs and forefingers to guide the floss, gently insert the floss between teeth using a sawing motion.
- 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.
- 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. 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 whether it is appropriate 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.